This is not your ordinary side dish.  It’s rich, hearty and {mostly} good for you.  I say mostly because I used a secret ingredient that is the antithesis of healthy, but it’s so good.  Braised Kale with White Beans and Tomato is a luscious, unctuous braise that’s perfect for holiday roasts like lamb, beef or pork, but equally good with a rotisserie chicken!

This dish takes a little planning, but only because you need to soak the beans.  I put them in a pot covered with water overnight and they’re ready to go the next day.  A low simmer will bring them to a tender, creamy texture.  Just be sure to taste a bean to make sure its completely cooked.  Depending on how long you’ve had them, dried beans can take from 1 hour to 3 hours to soften up.  Generally, navy beans are small enough to only require about 1 1/2-2 hours to achieve the right doneness.

When the beans are just tender, add the tomatoes bay leaf, salt, oregano and red pepper flakes and let them braise on a low heat with the lid on the pot for another 10-15 minutes. 

And now for the secret ingredient…  Duck fat. Ok, ok. I know you probably don’t have a jar of duck fat hanging out in the pantry. Normally, I don’t either — but I recently made some duck confit — which is literally duck cooked in its own fat — and there was so much fat leftover, I saved it.

If you don’t have duck fat or have dietary restrictions — use butter for a vegetarian option or olive oil to make it healthier and vegan.

Mix in the kale, cover the pot and braise for another five or so minutes, just until the kale gets tender.  I like to serve this with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Want more really different side dishes? Also try this German-inspired braised cabbage or carrot and butternut squash puree.

Braised Kale with White Beans and Tomato

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 221 kcal

Braised kale and tender white beans make a hearty, healthy side dish.  The tomato balances the flavors.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• scant 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons duck fat can substitute olive oil or butter
• 2 cups finely chopped kale tough stems removed

Garnish:

• parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions

1. Sort through the beans, discarding any pebbles or stones that may have inadvertently gotten through the sorting process.  Cover with one inch of water, cover with a lid and let rest 8 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the water and rinse the beans.  Add the beans back to the pot and cover with another inch of water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover the pot and cook until the beans become tender, about 1 1/2-2 hours.  There should still be about 1/4" of water covering the beans.  If not, add more water until they're just barely covered.

3. Stir in the diced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and tomatoes.  Braise for 10-15 minutes, until the flavors start to meld.

4. Add the duck fat and kale.  Stir to combine and braise another 5 minutes or so, just until the kale is tender.  Serve with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition Facts

Braised Kale with White Beans and Tomato

Amount Per Serving

Calories 221 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3g 5%

Cholesterol 2mg 1%

Sodium 445mg 19%

Potassium 758mg 22%

Total Carbohydrates 36g 12%

Dietary Fiber 13g 52%

Sugars 2g

Protein 13g 26%

Vitamin A 33.6%

Vitamin C 24.4%

Calcium 11.4%

Iron 19.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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