Escarole & Beans.. Scarole e fagioli

I intentionally took out my 2 bushels of escarole this morning and put them on my kitchen counter, so that when my mom walked in, she might ask if I wanted her to get started on it for dinner. Sure enough, she did! So, I'll be honest and tell you that I didn't completely cook this dish tonight, I had a little help, but i can definitely tell you that  the recipe is the same. This dish is on the healthy side, it's chock full of protein and leafy greens. You can make this a side dish or as your meal.

What you will need
1 Deep Pot
Olive Oil
4 cloves of garlic
2 bushels of escarole
1 can of cannellini or small white beans
Salt & Pepper


Preparation:
Fill your Pot half way with water. Turn on High Heat, cover. Start to clean the escarole, one leaf at a time in cold water. The last thing you want is to be enjoying your meal and then hearing crunch or the feeling of sand in your mouth. Its a tedious process, but worth it.
Once your leaves are cleaned, cut in half or quarters. Throw the leaves in the pot of water. At this point you can chop your garlic. Using fresh beans is great, but in terms of quickness and time, the canned beans are fine too. No need to drain the liquid out of the can, the starchy consistency will help thicken the dish. Once the leaves are wilted, and the water is just about boiling, you can stain the escarole.
Using the same pot, place it back on the stove, add in your olive oil, enough to line the pan, once the oil is heated, throw in your garlic. You want to make sure your garlic turns a goldne brown color. Cutting your garlic in slices vs chopped is best for this dish as you don't want crunchy garlic bits, but a nice smooth garlic taste. Once they are golden brown, add in your can of beans. Stir once, the heat should be turned down to medium. Now add in your escarole. Cover and let cook for about 8 minutes only. Add in Salt and Pepper and you are ready to serve.

Tip: You can easily add any type of Pasta to this dish, or serve with a crostini and grated cheese. It's filling and nutritious!

Wine Recommendation: Rodney Strong  2008 Reserve Pinot Noir

Bon Appetito!