SAUTÉED ITALIAN CHARD WITH BEANS, CORN STOCK, AND CRUSHED NUTS
from The Bean Book
by Steve Sando, with Julia Newberry
A big bowl of sautéed greens and heirloom beans is so simple but can be a revelation. Any hearty green, like chard, kale, or spinach, would work. One lazy Sunday, something possessed me to add a handful of dust from the bottom of a bowl of mixed nuts. It was terrific. Who knew?
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Ingredients:
1 bunch chard
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 white onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 jalapeño chile, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups cooked, drained Rancho Gordo King City Pink, Santa Maria Pinquito, or Snowcap beans, or other mild heirloom beans, plus about 1 cup bean broth reserved
2 cups homemade Corn Stock (see below)
Handful of finely chopped nuts (or you can use the dust from the bottom of a bowl of mixed nuts!)
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (optional)
Instructions:
Wash the chard and cut out the stems. Cut the green leaves into 1-inch pieces, then slice the chard stems into 1-inch pieces.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the chard leaves and stems to the pot and cook until softened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beans, their broth, and the corn stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until the chard is done to your liking. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Finish with a dusting of finely chopped nuts and a squeeze of lemon (if desired).
CORN STOCK
MAKES 6 TO 8 CUPS
8 to 10 corncobs, kernels removed and reserved for another use
Silk from 2 corncobs (optional)
5 peppercorns
1⁄2 white onion
Handful of fresh parsley
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
10 cups cold water
In a large pot, combine the corncobs, silk (if using), peppercorns, onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until the desired flavor is reached. Strain the broth using cheesecloth placed over a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids.
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The Bean Book
Steve Sando, Julia Newberry
“The Bean Book is the magnum opus from the KING of heirloom beans!”—Ted Allen, host of Food Network’s Chopped
“An absolute must-have for anyone who believes that beans can be every bit as magical as a spoonful of caviar.”—Chef José Andrés
Learn how easy it is to cook beans from scratch with the king of beans. Rancho Gordo beans, the legumes with a cult following and Bean Club waiting list more than 20,000 names long, brought attention to heirloom bean varieties through chefs like Thomas Keller and Marcella Hazan.
Founder and owner Steve Sando, with twenty-five years’ experience in growing, sourcing, and cooking with beans, is the perfect home cook to present classic recipes as well as new combinations for all kinds of eaters. With more than 100 recipes, there are vegan and vegetarian dishes like Fennel, Potato, and White Bean Soup with Saffron and Pizza Beans as well as full-on meat-lovers’ meals like Napa Valley Cassoulet, Southwestern Chile con Carne, and Clay-Baked Pacific Cod Gratin with Onions and White Beans.
The Bean Book includes instructions for cooking beans using multiple methods, then transforming those cooked beans into satisfying dips, soups, salads, mains, sides, and desserts. There is nobody better than the man behind Rancho Gordo to share recipes, tips, and historical background in a beautifully photographed, comprehensive collection, sure to be a classic.
