Monday, March 9: Lemony Beans and Greens over Polenta

This is the definition of comfort food for me. Buttery, parmesan polenta topped with creamy beans and greens and a flavorful Italian salsa verde. I could eat this every day.

Bring 4 cups chicken broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan (you can also use water with a big pinch of salt). Stream in 1 cup polenta (I use this kind), whisking constantly until starting to thicken. Reduce to low to maintain a simmer, and cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t stick and adding more liquid if necessary. When it’s tender and creamy, stir in a pat of butter and about 1/2 cup grated parmesan.

While the polenta cooks, get your beans and greens ready! Heat a few TB olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add 1-2 minced shallots and 3-4 sliced garlic cloves, plus a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Saute for 3-5 minutes, then add 1 can drained and rinsed white beans and the zest of one lemon. Add one large bunch of Tuscan kale (washed and torn into bite-sized pieces) and cook for 5-10 minutes, until kale is wilted and beans are creamy. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

Finally, make the salsa verde. In a medium bowl, stir together 3-4 TB chopped parsley, 1 TB capers, a few TB olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of kosher salt. Taste and adjust (e.g. more lemon juice, more salt, more oil).

To serve, spoon polenta into a bowl, following by the beans and greens. Top with a few spoons of the salsa verde.