Escarole With White Beans & Sausage

Recipe & Pic from Italian Food Forever

Italian Wedding Soup might be the first dish that comes to mind when you think of Escarole but this delicious recipes makes for a far heartier meal for a chilly Autumn evening!

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Pound Italian Sausage Meat Removed From Casings

1 Cup Chopped Onion

4 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1 Large Head Escarole, Chopped (About 10 Cups)

3/4 Cup Dry White Wine

4 (15-ounce) Cans Cannellini Beans, Rinsed (Or 6 Cups Cooked Beans)

1 Cup Chicken or Vegetable Stock

Salt & Pepper To Taste

Freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley for serving

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat in a large skillet.

Working in batches, sauté sausage meat until cooked through, breaking up with two forks.

Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl, leaving drippings in pot.

Reduce heat to medium; then add onion to pot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and escarole and sauté until wilted, about 4 minutes.

Add wine and cook 4 minutes until slightly reduced.

Add beans, stock, chili paste, and sausage and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors.

Season to taste with salt and pepper then transfer to large bowl.

Top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Escarole With White Beans

2022 Week 5 Newsletter

Recipe & Pic from Food 52

Silky escarole, creamy beans, all the flavor your could ask for- in a matter of minutes you'll have a truly satisfying meal!

1 medium head escarole, about 1 pound (or substitute curly kale or mustard greens)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large sprig rosemary, plus more for frying (optional)
2 dried chiles de arbol (or substitute ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
3 garlic cloves, smashed
Salt, for seasoning

2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
Rind of Parmesan, Grana Padano, or pecorino (optional)
1/2 of a lemon
Any of the above cheeses, for garnishing

Cut the head of escarole in half lengthwise, then cut each length crosswise, into 1 1/2-inch strips. Place in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Use your hands to swish the leaves around, loosening up the dirt. Let the escarole sit undisturbed for 5 or so minutes so that the soot settles to the bottom. Lift the escarole out of the bowl, then repeat the washing process. (Escarole is very dirty—washing it twice is critical.) Don’t worry if the leaves are still a little wet. (If you’re using kale or mustard greens, clean and remove the center ribs. Then give the leaves a rough chop.)

In a large Dutch oven with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat, Once hot, add the rosemary sprig and the chiles de arbol. Let sizzle for about 1 minute, then turn the heat to medium and add the garlic. Stir until it’s soft and golden on the edges.

Add the escarole a handful at a time. Stir it and let it wilt before adding the next handful and season with salt as you throw in each new addition.

When all the escarole has wilted, add the beans, the stock, and the cheese rind (if using), season with more salt, and stir to mix everything together.

Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover, lower the heat to maintain a slow simmer, and cook until the greens are tender and the liquid has thickened, about 20 minutes. (If you don’t want the dish to be soupy, you can remove the lid and simmer it for about 5 minutes, until the liquid has reduced.)

Before serving, season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Garnish with grated cheese and a swirl of olive oil. Serve over slices of toasted sourdough, polenta, or al dente ditalini.

Recipe: Escarole With Beans & Pasta

2021 Week 5 Newsletter

Recipe From Cooking With Nonna

Nothing makes a classic Italian Wedding Soup like escarole, but last time we checked it didn't really seem like good soup weather, so here's an alternative that will bring you similar Italian flavors without the heat!

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 anchovy fillets packed in oil (optional)

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 head escarole, trimmed, washed and coarsely chopped

1 19oz can cannellini beans, rinsed

salt and pepper as desired

1 pound Rigatoni

grated Pecorino Romano cheese for sprinkling

Put a large skillet with a lid over a medium flame and heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the anchovies and cook until they have melted, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add in the wine and cook for 1 minute.

Add the escarole to the pan and cook until the leaves are wilted, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the beans and using a wooden spoon, mash about half of them.

Add the chicken broth to the pan and lower the flame to a simmer. Cover and cook until the escarole is tender, about 5-7 minutes. Uncover and cook another 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Lower the flame to low while the pasta cooks.

Drop the rigatoni into a large pot of generously salted boiling water and cook until al dente.

Drain and add the pasta to the pan. Toss over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes.

Serve in warm bowls with a sprinkle of grated pecorino romano cheese.

Recipe: Braised Escarole with White Beans

1 head escarole, dark green outer leaves discarded, inner leaves separated and trimmed of dark green tops
1/4 cup good extra-virgin olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 or 2 cups cooked white beans with some of their cooking liquid or a small ladleful of water (recipe follows)
Salt and pepper

Basic Cooked Dried Beans
2 cups dried beans, unsoaked or soaked for 4 hours or overnight
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1 branch fresh thyme, optional
2 bay leaves
Salt

For the beans: Drain the beans and put them into a medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Cover them with cold water by 2 inches or so. Add the garlic, thyme, if using, and bay leaves. Bring the beans just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and very gently simmer them until they are swollen and tender, 30–90 minutes (or more), depending on the freshness of the dried beans. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in a generous pinch of salt. Let the beans cool to just warm or to room temperature in the cooking liquid. (The beans will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.)

For the escarole: Wash the escarole leaves well and shake off some of the water. Put the olive oil and garlic into a large nonreactive skillet and warm over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the escarole and cook briefly, turning the leaves as they begin to wilt. Add the beans and their cooking liquid or water, season with salt and pepper, and braise just until the beans are warmed through and the escarole is still bright and colorful, 3–5 minutes.