Slow-Simmered White Bean and Greens Stew with Crisp Crumbs

Slow-Simmered White Bean and Greens Stew with Crisp Crumbs

A little more of a project: dried beans cooked low and slow until creamy, then finished with greens and a crunchy herb-and-bread topping. It's the sort of honest, plant-forward cooking that makes a simple pot of food feel like a meal. Make it on a day you're home, and you'll have leftovers that taste even better the next day.

You need

• 1 cup [200 g] dried cannellini or great northern beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 8 cups [2 L] low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 bunch lacinato kale or chard (about 8 ounces [225 g]), stems removed, leaves chopped
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup [30 g] fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 5 to 6 quart [5 to 6 L] Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, bay leaf, and rosemary, and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the drained beans and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes or so.
4. Test the beans: they should be creamy inside with no chalky center. Add more broth or water if the pot gets too thick, and add the salt once the beans are tender.
5. Stir in the kale or chard and simmer uncovered until wilted and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary stem.
6. Stir in the red wine vinegar and taste. Add more salt or pepper as needed.
7. While the stew finishes, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes. Off the heat, toss with the parsley and lemon zest.
8. Ladle the stew into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter the crisp crumbs on top.