Cannellini Beans with Kale

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Dinosaur or lacinato kale has popped up recently at the local farmers' markets and in CSA boxes.  Check out the ingredient info at the bottom of the page.
This is a good hot weather recipe if you prepare the beans from scratch in a slow cooker or you use canned cannellini beans. 
Cleo, Food Bank volunteer





Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (10 to 11 ounces) dried cannellini (white kidney beans)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 Turkish bay leaf (or substitute regular bay leaf)
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups (packed) coarsely chopped stemmed lacinato kale
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Dried crushed red pepper

Preparation:

Place beans in pot with enough cold water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to boil. Continue to boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 1 hour. Drain beans; return to pot. Add 8 cups water, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and sage; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until beans are tender, 1 to 11/2 hours. Stir in salt. Add kale; cook 4 minutes.

Drain beans and kale; place in large bowl. (Cover and chill liquid for soup.) Add oil, lemon juice, and red pepper to taste; toss. Season with salt and black pepper.

yield: Makes 12 cups

active time: 25 minutes

total time: 2 hours (if cooking beans from scratch; longer using a slow cooker)

Ingredient Info:Tuscan kale—also called cavolo nero, Lacinato, black kale, or dinosaur kale—has long, narrow, bumpy dark-green leaves. You can find it at better supermarkets and at farmers’ markets.

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