Sausage and White Beans with Mustard Greens
This recipe is featured in "The Complete Make-Ahead Cookbook: From Appetizers to Desserts by America's Test Kitchen"
Why This Recipe Works
This rich, stew-like dish combines meaty sausage, creamy white beans, and fresh greens. Sweet Italian sausage, which is very flavorful and easy to get, was a good starting point. Browning the sausage deepened its flavor and rendered the fat, which we used to sauté onion, garlic, and thyme. We added a healthy splash of white wine before adding the chicken broth, tomatoes, and beans. Using canned cannellini beans eliminated an overnight soak. For the greens, we enjoyed the peppery spice of mustard greens, which we gently wilted before braising them. To finish, a sprinkle of cheesy bread crumbs and parsley added pleasant crunch and freshness. You can substitute kale for the mustard greens.
Metric conversions by The Cook’s Cook
- Prep 1 hour
- Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread
- 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil
- 60 ml (¼ cup) grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- .5 kg (1 pound) hot or sweet Italian sausage
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- 30 grams (2 tablespoons) minced fresh or 10 grams (2 teaspoons) dried thyme
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 120 ml (½ cup) dry white wine
- 411 grams (14.5-ounces) canned diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
- 30 ml (1½ cups) chicken broth
- 425 grams (15 ounces) canned cannellini beans, rinsed
- 340 grams (12 ounces) mustard greens, stemmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 30 grams (2 tablespoons) minced fresh parsley
Preparation
1. Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Heat 30 grams (2 tablespoons) oil in a 30 cm (12-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add bread crumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until crumbs begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add Parmesan and cook, stirring constantly, until crumbs are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Prick sausages with fork in several places. Heat 15 grams (1 tablespoon) oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown sausages well on all sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to plate.
3. Heat remaining 15 grams (1 tablespoon) oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 2.5 grams (¼ teaspoon) salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in thyme and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and reserved tomato juice, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, beans, and tomatoes and bring to simmer.
4. Stir in mustard greens and cook until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Place sausages on top of greens. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until greens are wilted and reduced in volume by about half, about 10 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-low, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sausages are cooked through and greens are tender, about 15 minutes.
5. Off heat, mash portion of beans against side of pot with back of spoon to thicken sauce. Serve, sprinkling individual portions with bread crumbs and parsley.
