Spanish flair in this kale, beans pairing

Spaniards prepare dishes al ajillo by frying ingredients in hot garlic paprika oil. If you’re into tapas, chances are high you’ve run across the shrimp dish, Gambas al Ajillo. Here, kale is wilted in a smoky paprika oil and heaped generously on top of brothy white beans. My mom always put a few slices of chorizo in her white beans, but the smoked paprika in the kale al ajillo evokes the same flavor without using any meat. Garnished with freshly grated manchego cheese and served with crusty bread, this makes a richly flavored, hearty and satisfying meal perfect for these cold nights.

The benefit of cooking the kale separately from the beans is that it stays bright green and al dente. Additionally, if you want to blend up the leftover brothy beans into a creamy soup topped with some homemade croutons (like my mom used to do to make us leftovers-averse kids think we were eating a completely different dish), it will have a nicer, creamier color than if the kale had been cooked with the beans.

Kale al Ajillo over Spanish White Beans Serves 8 INGREDIENTS For the beans:

1 pound dried white beans, such as navy or alubias blancas, soaked in water overnight 2tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced 4stalks celery, finely diced 3 large carrots, finely diced 3cloves garlic, finely sliced 6sprigs fresh thyme

1bay leaf

Water or vegetable stock

Salt and pepper

For the kale al ajillo: 2tablespoons olive oil

4cloves garlic

1teaspoon pimentón ahumado (smoked paprika)

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1 large bunch Tuscan kale, washed and dried completely, then chopped

Dash of sherry vinegar

Freshly grated manchego or parmesan for garnish

DIRECTIONS

To make the beans, soak the white beans overnight in water to cover. In a large, heavy bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions, celery, carrot and garlic and saute for 10to 15minutes, until the vegetables are very soft and the onions translucent.

Drain the presoaked beans and add them to the pot along with the thyme and bay leaf. Pour in enough water or vegetable stock to cover the beans by 1to 2 inches.

Cover with a lid and bring to a boil before reducing heat and simmering for 60to 90minutes, or until the beans are very tender. Season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

To make the kale al ajillo, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, pimentón, and red pepper flakes and saute for 30to 60seconds or until the garlic just starts to turn golden. Quickly add the kale — you may need to add the kale in batches, depending on size of skillet — and toss in the hot garlic oil, sprinkling with a bit of salt and pepper. As soon as the kale wilts slightly and turns brighter green, remove from the heat and toss with a dash of sherry vinegar.

To serve, ladle the beans into wide soup bowls and top with a heap of kale garnished with freshly grated manchego cheese. Serve hot with crusty bread.