Smoky Greens & Beans

I had a quite the marvelous market haul this past Saturday from my brief, early morning jaunt to Eastern Market. For just over $10, I scored some great local, late-season produce, including kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, broccoli, potatoes, and onions the size of a small child's head. On top of that, I picked up a dozen organic, pastured eggs from the Hampshire Farms stand, where I'd purchased the split peas mentioned my previous post.

We were pretty booked all weekend long, so I was really looking forward to getting into the kitchen this week and cooking up some hearty, wintry dishes with my haul. While flipping through a recent issue of Bon Appetit, I found the exact recipe to kick off my week. It would make use not only of some of the aforementioned produce, but also the gorgeous speckled and striated dried Roman beans I picked up at Ventimiglia's Italian Market in Sterling Heights. Also known--among other names--as cranberry beans and Borlotti beans, these are white with deep red striations, and similar in size to cannellini (white kidney) beans. They're firm yet creamy in texture and nutty in flavor, and are typically used in soups and stews. As such, when paired with the beautifully curly kale from the market, they made for a delicious winter stew for tonight's dinner. The smokiness of the Spanish paprika contrasted nicely with the vegetal taste of the kale and the nuttiness of the beans.

Smoky Greens and Beans (Bon Appetit, November 2009)

While this recipe calls for canned cannellini beans, I substituted them with an equal quantity of home-cooked Roman beans, prepared via the method in my January 5 entry, "Mangiafagioli")

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes in juice

1-1/2 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika (Pimenton Picante or Pimonton de La Vera Picante)

1 14.5-oz. can vegetable broth (I substituted with water)

8 c. coarsely chopped greens (e.g., kale, mustard greens, collard greens)

1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained

Grated Manchego or Parmigiano cheese (optional)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft and beggining to brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and paprika; stir 1 minute. Add broth and greens; bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until greens are wilted and tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in beans and simmer 1 minute to heat through. Divide among bowls; sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Serves 4.

"This is poor people food!" Todd exclaimed when he peered into the pot of simmering beans. Yes, beans are known to be traditionally peasant food--they're economical, healthful, and belly-filling. They're a delicious source of protein and fiber, which is perfect, as I search for ways to cut down on my consumption of animal proteins and carbohydrates.

Coping Mechanism

Ten more weeks of winter, so Todd keeps reminding me. This is the time of year when you just have to suck it up and deal with the fact that it's going to be cold and snowy for another couple of months, and there's nothing you or I can do about it.

So, we cope. And, as you may have figured, my way of coping with practically everything is with food. When I'm sad, I drown my sorrows by eating. When I'm happy, I reward myself by eating. And when I'm cold, I warm myself by eating...soup.

For years, whenever my mom bought a Honeybaked Ham for the holidays, she always picked up a bag of split peas to make soup with the leftover ham bone. It was salty and smoky and full of rich flavor from the bits of ham still clinging to the bone. It's been quite a few years since she's bought a ham and, hence, a few years since she's made her soup. And I missed it something awful.

So, with temperatures hovering in the mid-20s over the weekend, it was a perfect time for me to replicate her soup. During my early morning trip to Eastern Market last Saturday, I made a stop at the Hampshire Farms stand, where they were selling a wide variety of organic dried beans and grains from their farm in Kingston, Michigan. In addition to a 2.5-lb. bag of organic oatmeal ($3.50), I picked up a 2-lb. bag of organic split peas ($3) for my soup. Rather than buying a chunk of ham or a smoked pork hock at the market's outdoor meat stand, I opted instead for a slab of freshly-smoked bacon. It was meaty with a nice streak of fat running through and, with a little bit of rind still attached, would be just perfect for flavoring my soup.

Split Pea Soup with Bacon

1/2 lb. thick-sliced bacon, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

olive oil, as needed

1 large carrot, chopped

2 lbs. dried split peas, rinsed and picked over

1 quart vegetable or chicken stock

1 quart water (plus additional, as needed)

1-2 tsp. liquid smoke, to taste

salt and pepper, to taste

In a large stockpot over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy and browned, and fat is rendered. Remove from pan and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.

In the bacon fat, sautee onions and garlic until softened and lightly golden, adding olive oil, if needed. Add carrot and sautee until softened.

Add split peas, stock, and water. Add additional water to cover, if needed. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, until peas are softened, approximately 25 minutes.

When peas are softened, puree to desired consistency using an immersion blender. This may also be done in a food processor, then returned to the pot. If soup is too thick, add fresh water to your desired consistency. Return reserved bacon to the pot, along with liquid smoke, to taste.

Allow to return to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

If you'd like to make this vegetarian, omit the bacon, sautee the vegetables in olive oil, and use vegetable stock. I like my split pea soup extra smoky, so even with the bacon, I still have a heavy pour with the liquid smoke. Generally, it's pretty strong, so add it sparingly until the soup reaches your desired level of smokiness.

Hampshire Farms has stands at Eastern Market, Royal Oak Market, and Oakland County Market in Waterford. In addition to all of the organic grains and beans, Hampshire Farms also sells pastured organic eggs, grown with no hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides. Their hens and roosters are heritage breeds, fed with certified organic grains. For more information, visit www.hampshirefarmsorganic.com