Beans & Greens Minestra
This original recipe is adapted from Jessica–
Warm crusty bread. Sauté garlic and onions for 5 minutes, add chopped carrot and celery. Add greens until wilted. Add beans and broth. Partially cover pot and cook for 10 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
8 cloves garlic pressed
1 medium yellow onion diced
1 cubed carrot
2 heads of escarloe greens
3 C. cannellini beans soaked for 3 days
4 C. water
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Crusty non yeasted spelt bread
Preparation:
Soak 3 cups of beans overnight in 6 cups of water. In the morning rinse in a colander under fresh running water from the faucet. Again add 6 cups of water and put in the refrigerator overnight. Rinse in the morning; add fresh water and put in the refrigerator. The next morning rinse under the faucet, drain in a colander. Place the beans in 4 cups of water. Add to the pot of beans a bay leaf, fresh thyme sprig. Allow it to come to a boil then lower to a simmer for about 2 hours checking to be sure sufficient water remains. Or place in a crock pot for 4 hours. Once the beans are softened, with the previous soaking this makes the beans more alkaline and easier to digest. When prepared in this fashion, this greatly decreases gas and bloating, a common symptom from PLD Polycystic Liver Disease.
Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the pressed garlic, onions, carrot and sauté for a few moments, careful not to burn the garlic. Drain the beans. Reserve the liquid and add enough water to equal 4 cups. Add the liquid, beans, sautéed vegetables to a soup pot or crock pot. Simmer slowly for about 3 hours. Taste for seasonings adding spike and nutmeg. Add the escarloe greens. Cook until softened. Heat the crusty rustic bread in the oven until warmed.
