Sunday, December 16, 2012

Comfort on a chilly evening~Escarole and White Beans

Nothing more satisfying to me around the holidays than a low-cal healthy side dish. We are talking about 130 calories for a cup of the escarole and beans. I did  enjoy it with a little grated Parmeasan-Reggiano. Maybe just a few more calories!
A tip from the chef~while blanching the escarole is not necessary, it is recommended; blanching the greens makes them more vibrant in color and takes away the bitterness.


This recipe serves 4 and takes about 15 minute to prepare.

RECIPE     
1 pkg. of fresh chopped escarole.
1T. of olive oil.
1 clove of minced garlic.
1/2 C. of vegetable culinary stock.
1 can of Cannellini Beans, do not drain.


Blanch the escarole for 1 minute in a large pot of boiling water. Salt the water to your liking. I find I need a little more salt than normal when cooking greens. Drain and gently squeeze any water from greens.( I just press a large spoon again the greens in the strainer.)
Add the oil and garlic to a large skillit. Keep stirring for 1 minute.
Add the escarole, cook a bit longer while stirring. Sometimes the stems are larger on the greens and need to cook more.
Add the stock and beans. Simmer covered for 5 minutes.

7 comments:

Betty Carlson said...

This looks lovely and so simple. I like white beans but can't always figure out what to do with them. I bet the same would work with arugula. (sp.)

Well, I am trying to revive my blog a bit, and I was interested to see this post pop up in my blog list! I see you are actually still blogging, slowly but surely. I think a lot of us have missed it -- maybe resolutions for 2013 will bring a spate of new blogging!

Enjoy the holidays!

Penny said...

I love this combination. I have made a soup that is very similar. And we need all of the help we can get this time of year in eating light. Happy holidays Jann.

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What a healthy and pretty dish. Escarole is very underused in this country.

Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and the happiest of new years.
Sam

Simona Carini said...

Nice winter soup. Happy Holidays!

Suz said...

I love this recipe. I made it with Swiss Chard and it was absolutely delicious!!

http://madeforjoy.wordpress.com/2012/12/30/swiss-chard-and-white-beans/

Katie Zeller said...

Green and beans! Love it. If the bunnies leave my chard alone, I can do this...
Happy New Year!

Cathy at Wives with Knives said...

I make a pot of soup at least once a week during these cold, wet months of winter and am always looking for something new. I have learned to incorporate more kale into our diet but haven't used escarole yet. It looks so delicious, especially with the white beans. This is a must try.