Best White Or Pink Beans With Beet Greens And Parmesan Recipes

PARMESAN WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH HEARTY GREENS

Steps:

• To make the Parmesan broth: In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add the garlic, cut-sides down, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Parmesan rinds, lemon rinds, thyme and 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the broth tastes full and rich and is reduced by half, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (You will have about 4 cups of broth.) Reserve half the garlic and half the lemon rinds, then strain the broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Once cool, the broth will keep for 1 week refrigerated or 3 months in the freezer. If freezing, leave a bit of space between the broth and the lid of the container, as the broth will expand.)
• To make the soup: Squeeze the garlic cloves to release them from the reserved head. Finely chop the reserved lemon rind. In a large pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low. Add the garlic cloves and the red-pepper flakes and cook, breaking up the garlic with your spoon, just until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium, add the greens and 1/4 teaspoon of the chopped lemon rind and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the beans and all of the Parmesan broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the greens are silky and the beans and broth are warmed through, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and taste. Stir in lemon juice and additional lemon rind to taste. (You will not use all the lemon.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with black pepper and grated Parmesan on top.

BRAISED WHITE BEANS AND GREENS WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• In a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel, onion and rosemary, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Begin adding handfuls of the greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt.
• Add the white beans, broth and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the mozzarella, if using, and Pecorino Romano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and top with more Pecorino Romano. Serve with toasted bread and a dish of red-pepper flakes on the side.

SLOW-COOKER WHITE BEAN PARMESAN SOUP

Steps:

• Put the soaked, drained beans in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, and season them generously with salt and pepper. Add the Parmesan rinds and the wheat berries.
• Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the fennel. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the fennel is softened and the onion is lightly browned, about 5 more minutes. Add the celery and garlic, and cook, stirring, until just softened, about 1 minute. Add the fennel seeds and red pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, until combined and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rosemary and the wine and let the wine bubble until the pan is almost dry, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape the mixture from the skillet into the slow cooker. Add the stock, and season it: Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, if you are using low-sodium broth, or 1 teaspoon salt, if using homemade unsalted stock. (Do not add salt now if you are using fully salted broth.) Stir to combine, and cook on low until the wheat berries are tender and the beans are creamy, about 8 to 10 hours. (Taste the beans to make sure they are creamy; they can vary in their cooking time depending on their age.) The soup can hold well on warm for 1 to 2 additional hours.
• Before serving, remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and reserved fennel fronds. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve in bowls topped generously with grated Parmesan.

BEET GREENS WITH WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight in a pot filled with water to cover. Drain and set aside.
• Bring 10 cups of water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Stir in the soaked beans and salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 45 minutes, or until the beans are soft. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, wash the beet greens very well by lifting them up and swishing them around in a large bowl of cold water. If any dirt remains in the bottom of the bowl, repeat this process once or twice until the bottom of the bowl is clean. Drain the greens in a colander.
• Bring 1 cup of lightly salted water to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the greens, and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft.
• Drain the beet greens and run them briefly under cold water to cool. Drain very well and, using your hands, squeeze out any excess water. Chop the beet greens into 2-inch pieces.
• Mix the beans, beet greens, red onion, garlic, thyme, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, olive oil, cayenne pepper, and salt, to taste, in a large bowl until well combined. Allow the greens and beans to marinate for at least 1 hour before serving, so the flavors have a chance to marry.

WHITE OR PINK BEANS WITH BEET GREENS AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Drain the beans and add to the pot, along with 6 cups water (or enough to cover the beans by at least an inch) and the bouquet garni. Bring to a gentle boil, add salt to taste, cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beans are soft and fragrant. Taste, adjust salt, and add pepper. Remove the bouquet garni.
• Stir in the beet greens and simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Serve in wide bowls and pass freshly grated Parmesan for sprinkling.