White Bean and Sausage Stew
Vingenzo’s - Woodstock, GA
This hearty stew is a simple but satisfying weeknight meal. If you can’t find lacinato kale (which is also sold as cavolo nero or Tuscan kale), use curly kale in its place.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 pound Italian sausage, removed from casings
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- One 16-ounce can cannellini beans (do not discard the liquid)
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups chopped kale (preferably lacinato kale)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Method
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat into pieces with a spoon. Continue cooking until the sausage has browned, about 5 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for another minute. Add the beans and their liquid. Raise the heat to medium and let the mixture come to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, raise the heat to medium, and let the mixture return to a simmer. Add the kale and let the stew cook for 30 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
To serve, divide the stew among soup bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Yield
4 to 6 servings
