Escarole and White Beans

John G, our illustrious farmer, mentioned last night that his mother has a delicious recipe for escarole and beans and that his mom is visiting them this week.  John and Mom got together and sent me this to share with all of you. As the Garofalos say, mangia bene! Thank you so much Diane Garofalo.

Escarole and White Beans

1 large bunch of escarole

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic or more to taste, chopped

1 or 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed

1 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

4 cups low-salt chicken broth (or vegetable broth with apologies to Diane)

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Crushed red pepper, to taste

Cut off the bottoms of the escarole, wash the leaves thoroughly, and roughly tear or chop them into pieces.

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 15 seconds.  Do not let the garlic brown.

Toss the wet escarole into the pot with the garlic (enjoy the sizzle), and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Add a few pinches of salt, grind in some pepper, and give it a pinch or two of crushed red pepper.  Stir in and add the beans, the cheese, and the broth.

Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings.

Let this simmer until escarole is tender and beans are soft, about 20 minutes.  Add more broth for a soupier consistency.

Serve in individual bowls. Drizzle each serving with a splash of olive and pass the grated cheese.

Don’t forget the crusty Italian bread and mangia bene!

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Escarole Cheese Packets

John’s pick list, the one he sends me after he walks the garden and decides, sometimes contains vegetables that we don’t see in our markets, Farmer’s or any other. Like today. John guesses escarole will be another item on the list most people will not know what to do with. I can take a hint—how about a recipe using escarole?

It’s not like escarole is a frequent visitor in my kitchen either, so I pull my vegetable “bible” from the shelf. With 500 recipes and 275 photos you can see why it belongs on my shelf, Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference, by Elizabeth Schneider.

Each vegetable entry has a complete description of the food, its Latin and common names, how to store and use, as well as a photo or two. Recipes are offered two ways, some with an ingredient list and numbered steps, and others that are simply well written recipe ideas suggested by professional chefs, under the heading “Pros Propose.”

For escarole there is Salad of Cooked and Raw Escarole with Garlic and Herbs. In the headnote Ms. Schneider describes how “the dark and chewy leaf tips are cut thin; sautéed with garlic, rosemary, and lemon zest; and then strewn over the pale, raw crunchy hearts, which have been drizzled with mustard-lemon-thyme dressing.”

But I am going to make Escarole Cheese Packets, a recipe suggested by chef  Charles Saunders, who wraps cheese in wilted escarole leaves.

Escarole Cheese Packets

Blanch large, fairly flat escarole leaves in boiling salted water, just until wilted, about 3 seconds. Gently tap the heavy bases to flatten and soften fibers. Wrap eggroll-style around soft white cheese, such as fresh mozzarella. Brush with oil and pre-heat the grill.

Escarole packets

almost gone escarole packets

Make a tomato and olive oil and balsamic vinegar sauce. (That’s what the pro proposes.)

I envision a sauce made in the Mexican salsa method: Puree one (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with ¼ cup chopped onions and one minced garlic clove in a blender. If you have some sun-dried tomatoes, throw a few of those in. Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a skillet. Pour the tomato puree into the oil and cook and stir for about 3 minutes. Season with about one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and salt to taste.

Grill the escarole cheese packets briefly and serve with the sauce.

Make as many as you want—depending on how much cheese you have, how many you are serving, and whether it is a first or main course.

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Mizuna and Escarole Salad with Caramelized Pears

mizuna leaves

This salad speaks autumn. You’ll find pears, Bartlett and Bosc especially, all over the Farmer’s Market, and the escarole and mizuna are hardy greens that we see this cooler time of year. Try this at Thanksgiving too, as complement and neutralizer for the typical carbo and turkey-heavy meal. The basic recipe is from Gourmet Today, 1000-pages with 1000 “contemporary” recipes. Since Gourmet Magazine is no longer published each month, I’m finding this new cookbook to be the magazine’s permanent heirloom for my kitchen bookshelf.

4 firm, yet ripe pears, Bosc or Bartlett

1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small bunch escarole

1 small bunch mizuna

3 handfuls Ranui mixed salad greens

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon Real Salt

Pinch cayenne

Preheat oven to 425° F. Peel and core the pears, then cut them into 8 wedges each. Toss them with the tablespoon of olive oil and spread in one layer on a large baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the pears, stirring and turning a couple of times, until they are tender and beginning to brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool.

Wash the escarole and mizuna. Tear away any thick ribs and discard. Tear the tender leaves into bite-sized pieces. Mix with the salad greens to make up about 8 cups total.

In a small bowl, whisk together the shallot, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, until the salt is dissolved. Add the remaining ¼ cup of oil in a slow stream, whisking until smooth. Toss the vinaigrette with the mixed greens and the roasted pears. Divide onto chilled plates.

Makes 5 to 6 servings.

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