Beans and Greens Alla Vodka
Published March 7, 2022
Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Kosher salt
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
¼ cup vodka
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (such as cannellini or Great Northern) or chickpeas, drained but not rinsed
1 bunch kale, ribs removed, leaves torn or coarsely chopped
¼ cup heavy cream
Grated Parmesan, as needed
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
60 grams carbs; 22 milligrams cholesterol; 512 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 19 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 1175 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, vodka and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste is a shade darker and starts to stick to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step 2
Add 2 cups water, the beans and the kale, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is flavorful and the kale is tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Taste and if it needs more salt, stir in some grated Parmesan. Serve with more Parmesan on top.
Private Notes
Comments
If you infuse the red pepper flakes in the vodka for five minutes before using, you will get a more intense (yet not hotter) pepper flavour. Take a small sip beforehand to see exactly what I mean. (Chemically, you are allowing the alcohol to extract esters and capsaicin from the pepper before it evaporates over the burner.)
To make it vegan, substitute cashew cream for the heavy cream. To make your own, barely cover raw cashews in warm water for 30 minutes, then blend.
Evaporated milk. You could also mash some beans to thicken. My mom likes to puree an extra can of beans in the blender and add that instead of adding milk or cream. She does this for many sauces/soups. Delish and bonus: healthy.
Nice and saucy. I don't know if it even needs the parm. I used low-salt beans and had to add salt at the end. A great way to use up that huge bunch of fresh greens you got from a family member or colleague! I stuffed the kale in the pot, and it cooked down in no time.
Thank you to the person who suggested putting the pepper into the vodka for awhile. That was wonderful! This recipe is great! Made it as written.
Easy and delicious. I used buckeye beans, skipped the cream, and served over garlicky rice.