Best Brothy Beans And Greens On Toast Recipes

SMOKY BEANS AND GREENS ON TOAST

Steps:

• Heat a large, heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium. Brush the bread on both sides with the olive oil. Lay the bread in the skillet and cook, pressing occasionally with a spatula, until crisp and golden brown, about 90 seconds per side. (If your slices are large, you may have to do this in two batches.) Set the bread aside.
• Heat a Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until it has browned a little and rendered at least a tablespoon of fat, about 4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it has softened and turned golden, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, thyme (if using), red pepper flakes, and, if you're using canned beans, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.
• Add the slightly wet kale in batches, using tongs to stir the leaves into the onion mixture; wait for one handful of kale to wilt and shrink before adding the next. When the last of the greens has been added, add the beans and broth. Raise the heat and let the beans and greens simmer for a minute or two, just to warm the beans and bring the flavors together. Taste and add more kosher salt if necessary.
• Serve the greens and beans over the toast in wide, shallow bowls, dusted with a little more smoked paprika.

BROTHY BEANS AND GREENS ON TOAST

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil and garlic over medium until garlic begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add chard stems and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add chard leaves, cover, and cook, tossing once, until bright green and just tender, about 3 minutes.
• Add beans and cooking liquid; simmer until heated through, about 30 seconds. Season to taste, drizzle with oil, and squeeze with lemon before serving over toast.

BEANS AND GARLIC TOAST IN BROTH

Steps:

• If you remember, soak the beans in cold water overnight, or for 10 to 12 hours. Rinse beans, and place in a large heavy-bottomed pot with onion, garlic, Parmesan rinds, olive oil and salt. Cover beans with water, so the water level is a couple of inches above the beans, and bring to a boil, then turn heat down so it's simmering gently. Put a lid on the pot, and cook until beans are tender, adding more water as needed to keep the beans submerged. This could take 1 to 2 hours or more, depending on the beans and whether or not you soaked them. (If you're using an electric pressure cooker: Add 5 cups water, set the machine to high pressure and cook for 25 minutes, then allow the machine to slowly depressurize on its own.)
• Use a spoon to fish out the onion, garlic and cheese rinds; discard. Taste a couple of beans along with the broth. It should be opaque and slightly creamy; adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed.
• Brush both sides of each piece of bread with olive oil, and place on a foil-lined sheet pan. Run the pan under the broiler for 2 minutes, so the bread is crisp at the edges and nicely toasted, then flip bread and repeat. While the bread is still hot, rub a garlic clove along one side of each piece, as if you were grating the garlic on the bread, pushing just firmly enough for the clove to fray and dissolve slightly into the bread.
• To assemble, place a piece of bread at the bottom of four wide, shallow bowls and ladle hot beans and broth on top. Wait a few seconds for the bread to absorb some broth, then ladle a little extra on each one, so it's swimming. Garnish the bowls generously: Drizzle olive oil all over the beans, sprinkle with herbs and flaky sea salt, cover with finely grated Parmesan and grind a little black pepper on top.