Dandelion Beans & Greens with Sausage
Dandelion Greens & Beans with Sausage is a simple & robust springtime meal. Serve with fire-toasted Italian bread & a chilled glass of wine.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 tsp Pinch red pepper flakes, or less adjust to your liking
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb ground sweet Italian sausage*
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 cup dry white wine recommended: Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/4 cup chicken broth, more on hand if needed
- 15 ½ oz Great Northern Beans canned and rinsed is fine
- 1-2 bunches dandelion greens substitute with mustard greens**
- Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
- Italian bread (optional) for serving
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmery, add the red pepper flakes and let them sit to toast, about 1 minute. Add the onions. Lightly salt the onions and saute until just tender, about 6 minutes.
- Add the sausage to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked through and browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and add the wine. Return to a low-medium heat and scrape the bottom of the skillet with your cooking spoon, deglazing any flavorful brown bits that have accumulated.
- Add the broth and stir to incorporate. Add the beans and dandelion greens gently mix – if using fresh greens note that they will be quite voluminous at first, but will cook down significantly.cover, 2-3 minutes, just long enough to cook the mixture through and for the greens to wilt and turn bright green. Uncover and stir to incorporate. The consistency of the mixture should be loose with some movement, not dry. If more liquid is needed add 1/4 cup (60 ml) more broth at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Simmer until hot.
- To serve, add to shallow bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with grated cheese. Serve alongside toasted Italian bread.
Notes
*Ask your butcher to grind the sausage for you, or simply remove sausage links from their casings and break apart with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon while cooking.
**Substitute dandelion greens with mustard greens as they also offer a slight peppery flavor. Otherwise, feel free to substitute with kale or spinach, though they will not offer the same bite and seasonings will need to be adjusted to suit your preferences.
We use an Italian brustolina to fire-toast our bread. The outside chars ever slightly, with the flavor and aroma one would expect, but the inside stays soft and tender.