A limited cupboard can sometimes prove an asset. I had dark kidney beans from a California market, feta cheese, cilantro, and what seemed like an armload of Redbor kale. They worked well together, much to my surprise. In truth, any variety of kale is fine here, and so is chard and other greens, such as collards.
By Deborah Madison, ‘Local Flavors’
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 ½ cups dried red kidney beans, soaked for 4 hours or overnight
2 bay leaves
½ tsp thyme leaves
Sea salt
1 white onion, finely diced
1 large bunch kale (see headnote)
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish
¾ cup chopped cilantro
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
Drain the beans, cover them with plenty of cold water, and bring to a boil. Remove any scum that rises to the surface, then add the herbs, 1 ½ tsp salt, and all but ½ cup of the onion. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 1 ½ hours
Slice the kale leaves from their stems with a knife. Chop coarsely into 1- or 2-inch pieces and rinse well. Bring a few quarts water to a boil; add salt and the kale. Simmer until tender, 5 to 7 minutes, then pour into a colander to drain.
Heat the oil in a wide skillet. Add the remaining ½ cup onion and ½ cup of the cilantro. Cook over medium heat until the onion has softened, about 10 minutes, then add the kale and the beans with enough of the cooking liquid so that there’s plenty of sauce. Simmer together for at least 10 minutes, then serve garnished with crumbled feta cheese and the remaining cilantro.