Fagioli e Scarola (Beans and Escarole)
5
- Prep Time10 min
- Total Time20 min
- Makes2 as a main dish, 4 as a side
Recipes and text by Chantal Braganza; Produced by Aimee Nishitoba; Photography by Christie Vuong; Food Styling by Sage Dakota; Prop Styling by Nicole Billark
You’d be shocked at how much texture lettuce can retain when braised: a soft crunch gives way to a sweet vegetal zing.
Ingredients
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 to 3 anchovy fillets
1 red chili, thinly sliced
1 to 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large head escarole, washed, dried and roughly torn
1 398-mL can navy or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (see tip)
1 cup hot chicken broth (optional)
Instructions
Heat a large frying pan over medium. Add oil, then anchovies and chili. Cook, slowly mashing anchovies into a paste. Add garlic. Cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 min.
Add lettuce and beans. Stir to coat well. Cover and steam until escarole is bright green and a little watery, 1 to 2 min. Taste, then season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, until escarole tips are tender but the base of leaves are still crunchy and a bit firm, 8 to 10 min.
Serve as is, over toast, or—with a ladle of hot chicken broth—as a thick soup. Drizzle a little oil overtop, if desired.
Kitchen tip
Use 1 ½ cups cooked beans if using dried beans.
Find more recipes celebrating green produce and olive oil in this recipe collection.
Subscribe to Chatelaine!
Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.