I’m short on time these days, so I’ll skip the chit-chat and simply tell you to make this recipe! It’s hearty, nutritious, satisfying, and packed with savory flavor – a perfect January meal even here in So Cal. A few notes before I leave you to it: Use whatever variety of white beans you like – cannellini, Great Northern, navy…they’re all good. Observing Dry January? No problem, just substitute another half-cup of the bean cooking liquid and add a splash of white wine vinegar. The greens are cook’s choice as well; I’m partial to baby arugula or Swiss chard, but spinach works too. As for the artichoke hearts, canned and frozen are both fine but if you use canned ones make sure they’re packed in water and not a marinade. And since it’s not exactly tomato season, just grab the best ones you can find. Kumatoes and Romas are usually a safe bet, and lately Trader Joe’s has been carrying lovely tricolor hothouse tomatoes on the vine. Oh, and you’ll notice that I don’t call for pre-soaking the beans, because adding kombu to the cooking water does the job just as well (see here for more on this topic).
Okay I think that covers it, so I’m going to shut up and let you cook. Enjoy!
- For the tomatoes:
- 30ml (2 Tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 lb medium tomatoes such as Roma, Kumato or Campari
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- For the beans:
- 8 oz (1 ¼ cups) dried white beans
- 1 piece kombu
- 64 fl oz (8 cups) water
- 3 fresh sage leaves, divided
- 1 large dried bay leaf
- 1 large sprig oregano
- 1 large sprig rosemary
- 3 large garlic cloves, divided
- Kosher salt
- 60ml (¼ cup) EVOO, divided
- 1 carrot, small dice
- 1 stalk celery, small dice
- 1 large leek, thinly sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, small dice
- 8 oz (1 cup) cooked and drained artichoke hearts, halved or quartered
- Freshly ground pepper
- 8 fl oz (½ cup) dry white wine
- 3 cups baby arugula or spinach, or chopped Swiss chard
- Slow-roast the tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Brush a casserole dish or roasting pan with a teaspoon of the oil and set aside. Slice the tomatoes in half across the middle/equator, and place them cut side up in the pan. Drizzle remaining olive oil over tomatoes, and scatter the garlic and herbs over the top. Season with a generous pinch of salt and a couple of twists of black pepper. Roast the tomatoes for 90 minutes or until completely softened and beginning to shrivel. Set aside until ready to serve.
- While tomatoes are roasting, cook the beans: Add beans, kombu, water, 1 sage leaf, bay leaf, oregano, and rosemary to a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Smash 2 of the garlic cloves and add to the pot along with 2 ½ teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cover with a lid and cook until the beans are tender, about 90 minutes. Discard the kombu, garlic, and herbs, and drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid (I like to set a fine mesh sieve over a glass liquid measuring cup and drain the beans that way).
- Sauté the vegetables: Set the pot back over medium-high heat and add 15 ml/2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add carrot, celery, leek, fennel, and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat with oil ,and sauté about 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Add artichoke hearts and 2-3 grinds black pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are browned in spots.
- Finish the braise: Reduce heat to medium, slice the remaining garlic clove, and chop the remaining sage leaf. Add the garlic and sage to the pot along with the drained beans and remaining 15ml/2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir to coat, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 2½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid and the white wine; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until liquid is thickened and beans are starting to break apart, then remove cover and stir in greens to wilt. Turn of heat, add the parsley, and season to taste with more salt and pepper.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with with roasted tomatoes (and a drizzle of good olive oil if desired).
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