- 8
Ingredients
- 5 bacon slices, cut up
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
- 1 pound dried navy beans, soaked in cold water for 6 hours, or overnight (or 5 cups canned navy beans, rinsed and drained)
- 6 ounces chorizo sausage, andouille, or smoked kielbasa
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 3 cups 1-inch chunks peeled potatoes
- 4 cups chopped spinach
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- Hot sauce for seasoning, optional
Preparation
Step 1
Beans, greens, potatoes, and some kind of pork are the common denominators of all. Some variations, she notes, include tomatoes, ham hock and saffron. I mostly followed this recipe as written, using a combination of turnip greens and kale for the greens and kielbasa for the sausage, and ramping up the heat with a few shakes of hot sauce. McDermott recommends serving it over rice or hot buttered bread. On a rainy autumn evening it hit the spot, and provided a welcome, ready-made lunch straight from the fridge for days to come.
In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until it sizzles, stirring as it begins to curl and brown, about 1 minute. Add the onions and cook, tossing them often, until both ingredients are shiny and fragrant, and the bacon is nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
Drain the beans, add them to the pot, and stir well. Add enough water to cover the beans by 1 inch. Bring it to an active boil and stir the beans. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle, but visible, lively simmer, and cook for 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender.
While the beans cook, cut the sausage lengthwise in half, and then crosswise into 1⁄2-inch chunks. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles at once. Add the sausage and cook, tossing it often, until it is shiny, fragrant, and nicely browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, toss it well, and set the pan aside.
When the beans are tender, stir the potatoes and turnip greens into the pot. Cook until the greens and potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the sausage along with the garlic and the oil in which they cooked. Add the salt and pepper, stir well, and remove the pot from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot or warm, with hot sauce on the side if desired.