Well my dad was certainly in his element tonight, cooking a Tuscan dish.... This is basically the same thing we had several weeks ago, but this time there was no shrimp. We had some different kinds of chorizo in it, and some ham hock used to make the stock cut up on the side. I of course left these out to experience the dish in a vegetarian sense : ).
As you can see from the picture, it is a combination of garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and white beans simmered with kale, escarole, spinach, and a few leaves of collard greens for texture. So just quick-soak the beans boiling for 5 minutes and letting rest for an hour or two in the hot pot on the counter, saving the created stock to thicken the dish. Sautee onions and garlic and adding in rosemary, thyme, and oregano, plus salt and pepper. Add in the carrots and celery and allow them to sweat along with the ham hock. Once sweated, add in some vegetable stock mixed with the beans' soaking liquid depending on the end consistency you desire. Add in the beans and simmer with the ham bone until they are tender and just about ready to eat. Then add the kale, collards, and escarole, reserving the spinach for the last 5 or so minutes of cooking, allowing it to sit on top and steam before stirring it into the simmering liquid. You can immersion-blend the mixture at this point before putting in the greens if you want a thicker texture. This uses the bulk of the mashed up beans to thicken. Thicken more by simmering lidless or thin with some more bean/veggie stock. Garnish with sausage or ham that you pull from the bone after the beans have finished cooking if you so choose. I did not, but there's nothing wrong with it. I will tell you, however, that the flavors pull together so much better if you crack more black pepper on top right before serving and add a bit more sea salt to it once on the table depending on your taste. It finishes off the layers of flavor. This dish is really good with the hearty beans, healthful greens, and sweet morsels of well-cooked carrot all seasoned in a Tuscan fashion with the herbs I mentioned. It's not only a classic in our house but also a winner!
