RICE AND BEAN STEW WITH KALE: AUTUMN DELIGHT!

RICE AND BEAN STEW WITH KALE: AUTUMN DELIGHT! image

Yield 6-8 bowls

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
1 1/2 cups short-grain brown rice
4 cups vegetable broth or bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water
3/4 cup white wine or ale (optional)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
Handful of fresh or frozen rosemary, basil, oregano, or other garden herbs of your choice
1 15 ounce can of beans of your choice, drained and rinsed (mixed beans are a good choice)
15-20 large leaves of kale, chopped into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

Cook the onion on medium-low in a large saucepan or pot until it becomes slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, or until the delicious aroma infuses your kitchen. If necessary to prevent sticking, add a drizzle more olive oil. Add rice and stir until the color darkens, slightly toasted. Again, you may need to add a tad more olive oil here to prevent sticking. Add the broth or bouillon, wine or beer, tomatoes, and herbs. Give a stir and turn up the heat to medium-high. Once it comes to a boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Note: Depending on what kind of rice you use, you may want to adjust how long you cook the rice for.) Halfway through cooking the rice, add the can of beans. Once the rice is cooked to a texture you like, add the kale, salt and pepper, stir and cover for about 5 minutes, or until the kale softens. The rice will not have soaked up all of the juices the way rice is ordinarily cooked. You can eat immediately or heat it up the next day when all the flavors have melded together and the rice has soaked up more of the liquid to make it more stew-like. Top with some grated sharp cheese or hot sauce!