Savory veg bake stays sumptuous
This recipe is my spin on a favorite from the very first cookbook I owned: the “Moosewood Cookbook,” by Mollie Katzen (Ten Speed Press, 1977). That book, which I still have — its cover sun-bleached and pages spattered — fed me throughout my college years and beyond. One dish from it that I made again and again was the simply named Cheese-Beans, a savory, chili-seasoned bake of red beans, fresh tomatoes, chunks of sweet apple and cheese. Lots of cheese.
That heavy cheesiness is one reason I had not made it in years. But I found myself hankering for the dish recently, so I decided to take a fresh look at it and find a way to achieve its comforting, flavorful essence in a more healthful way. I’m sure glad I did, because now this sumptuous bake is officially back in my life. 6 servings (makes 8 cups) From cookbook author Ellie Krieger.
EIngredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced (1K to 2 cups)
2 teaspoons chili powder 1½ teaspoons kosher salt 1 teaspoon powdered mustard ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
L cup pale lager beer, such as Corona
4 cups packed chopped baby kale leaves
Three 15-ounce cans no-saltadded red kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed (about 5¼ cups)
2 large Golden Delicious or Jonagold apples, unpeeled, cored and diced
4 medium tomatoes, diced 4 ounces (1 cup) packed grated Monterey Jack cheese
EDirections
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until translucent.
Stir in the chili powder, salt, powdered mustard and pepper. Add the beer, then the kale; cook for about a minute, stirring, until the greens have wilted.
Remove from the heat; stir in the beans, apple and tomato. Top with the cheese. Cover and bake (middle rack) for 35 to 40 minutes, until warmed through, the apple is tender and the cheese has melted. Serve warm.
Nutrition | Per serving (using all kidney beans): 400 calories, 21 g protein, 56 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium, 15 g dietary fiber, 12 g sugar