Hearty White Bean And Kale Stew

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Here’s one of those weekly projects we can check off the list. Making one large pot of something that will last a few days and provide some health and wealth in the knowledge that we’re eating good despite all the other shit going on in the world … then all is good!

The rain can certainly effect what we’re cooking on any given day and when we’re not getting all kung-fu fighting style on snack-type items, we’re craving the good stuff of comfort and sustenance. Something nourishing, filling and wholesome. Corona beans, which are mega-huge beans, always catch my eye. Maybe you’ve seen em in the bulk section of your grocer? They are creamy white and about three times the size of any other bean. When cooked properly, they yield a slightly crisp snappy outer shell with creamy innards that are also great for making hummus, bean buttahs or even mashers.

Ingredients

For dried beans: (or feel free to use canned if you’re feeling lazy and wanna save time)
  • 350g or 2 cups of dried Corona Beans
  • 6 C of water, for soaking overnight
  • 8 C water, for cooking the beans
  • 4 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 t vinegar
  • pinch salt
For the stew:
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 1 large onion, medium diced
  • 4 celery stalks, sliced 1/4-inch half moon shapes
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 4 medium Yukon potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 5 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 t granulated onion
  • 1 t coarse salt
  • 1 t black pepper
  • 1/2 t smoked paprika
  • 1 t dried oregano or 1 T fresh and chopped
  • 1/2 t thyme or 1 T fresh and chopped
  • 8 C low-sodium vegetable broth (it also works with just water)
  • 1 bunch kale, cleaned and shredded into bite-size pieces
Garnish 

Instructions

Do da beans!
  1. If using dried Corona beans, soak them in 6 cups of water over night. Skip this step and head on down to the “Stew” portion of the directions if using canned.
  2. The following day day, strain and add the beans to a medium-sized sauce pot with 8 cups water.
  3. Add the garlic, bay leaf, vinegar and salt and heat over medium heat, slowly cooking the beans for roughly and hour and a half until they’re al dente (firm to the bite, but not soft). Save whatever liquid beans are cooked in and add to the stew.
  4. Alternatively, if you are short on time, feel free to use a pressure cooker.

Stew:
  1. Heat large soup pot on medium heat. add the oil, onions, celery and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes to draw out the flavors a bit.
  2. Add in cooked beans, potatoes and the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT for the kale.
  3. Slowly bring to a rolling simmer for an hour on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
  4. Lower heat to low, and simmer/slow cook for up to another hour. Alternatively, if you have a crock pot, it’d can also be transferred to it and cooked on low for a few hours.

To serve:
  1. 15 minutes before serving, turn the heat back up to medium high and add in the shredded kale and cook until wilted.
  2. Garnish with the fresh parsley and Follow Your Heart Parmesan if desired.
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These bad boys are wonderful to eat whole and a pleasure to use in recipes like this stew. They might take a little longer to cook than their little brothers but take extra care to cook them so they don’t crack and get all ugly on ya and, we promise, the end result is well worth the time. If you want to buy them online, check out Rancho Gordo. Their quality is impeccable (and no we’re not being paid to say that).

 

Ever since the release of Ninja Mildred we now have to fight for space outside to photograph. Or at least bribe her for some space, which literally costs us peanuts.

 

The trick here with the Corona beans (if you are using dried) is to cook them until they are al dente (firm to the bite but not soft). This is because the beans are going to continue to simmer and cook for an additional two hours after that, so you don’t want to hammer them straight out of the gate. If pressure cooking or a crockpot is more your style, those methods will work well in this recipe too!

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