Here’s another beans-and-greens treatment for those of you who collect them the way I do. It’s a stripped-down saute of rainbow chard, garlic and white beans, plus a little salt and pepper. And it might not seem like much. But there are some special touches.
In the root-to-leaf spirit, you use the chard stems along with the leaves, but you treat them separately so they keep a little (but not too much) of their crunch. The leaves get barely cooked, because chard is almost as tender as spinach, and you don’t want the greens to disintegrate. The high proportion of minced garlic makes for a nice punch.
Best of all, the dish is so versatile, it comes close to staple status. Eat it by itself as a side dish; over grains in a bowl; spread on toast with yogurt for a light lunch; or tossed with pasta and perhaps a little of the cooking water and cheese for a hearty supper. As soon as you taste it, other uses will come to mind, no doubt.
Garlicky Rainbow Chard and Cannellinis
3 or 4 servings.
This quick sauté makes for a satisfying light lunch or hearty side dish. Add bread or the grain of your choice to turn it into a meal.
Adapted from “Naturally Lean,” by Allyson Kramer (Lifelong Books, 2017).
1 bunch (1 pound) rainbow chard
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more as needed
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 15-ounce can (1½ cups) no-salt-added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Wash and pat or spin-dry the chard. Strip the leaves from the stems, reserving the stems. Cut the leaves into 1½-inch pieces and the stems into ½-inch slices.
Pour the oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the chard stems and ½ teaspoon of salt; cook, stirring frequently, until the stem pieces become slightly tender yet still have a little crunch, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and the chard leaves; cook for 2 minutes, stirring, until the leaves wilt.
Stir in the beans; cook just until they are heated through, 2 minutes. (They may pick up a blush color from the chard stems.)
Season with the pepper, taste, and add more salt, as needed. Serve hot.
Nutrition Per serving (based on 4): 130 calories, 7 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 410 mg sodium, 6 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugar
