1 large bunch of kale
1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
2-3 tbsp tomato paste or harissa
Red pepper flakes (if using tomato paste)
3 (15 oz) cans large white beans (Cannelini or great Northern) drained and rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1-2 lemons
Feta for serving
Cilantro for serving
This recipe adapted from the original in New York Times cooking.
Tear kale leaves into bite size pieces, separating from the stem. Chop stems into 1/4 inch pieces, set aside. Meticulously arrange your chopped ingredients for a mise en place photo.
Add olive oil to dutch oven or large pot, then add onions and garli plus salt and pepper, cooking for ~5 minutes until lightly browned. Add harissa (or tomato paste and red pepper flakes) and stir until harissa is a nice brick red color, roughly ~2 minutes.
Add beans, season again with salt and pepper, and use wooden spoon to crush some of the beans and release their creamy interior.
After a minute or two, add in the broth and the kale stems. Bring to a simmer and cook until you've reached a stewy consistency, roughly 15-20 minutes.
Once the broth's reduced and you've reached your desired consistency, add in the kale leaves and juice of 1 lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning and space to your liking. Serve with cilantro and crumbled feta.
I'd also like to try a version with anchovies and jalapeño in the base.
Approximately 1750 calories and 5 cups so 350 calories per cup without Feta
I made the beans from scratch, drained them and then followed the recipe by adding the appropriate at the appropriate stage according to the recipe. I made my own Harissa and think that either homemade or store bought adds significantly to the dish though I would use 4 Tbs. Harissa has lemon, ground coriander and cumin along with smoked paprika, tomato paste, olive and interesting dried chile flavor. These flavors go very well with the beans.
