what you should know
Escarole is a pale, broad-leafed type of endive.
Delicious and crisp when eaten fresh, this bitter green is also excellent when braised, wilted, grilled or cooked in soups. (Always be sure to give the leaves a thorough washing.)
easy green The Bittman challenge: close your eyes and try to distinguish between escarole and its trendier, more expensive, red-tinted cousin, radicchio.
A+ Escarole is a great source of folic acid, vitamin K and fiber, and when it comes to vitamin A, escarole tops even spinach. One medium head of escarole yields about seven cups of torn leaves.
wintergreen Escarole is a winter green (along with chard, collards, mustards and kale) that thrives late in the growing season. The heart of a head of escarole is less bitter because it's been deprived of sunlight.
what you need
Everyone should own a copy of Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. (Be sure to check out her recipes for escarole torta and escarole and rice soup.)
A brightly colored shallow pan is perfect for quickly sautéing escarole and then bringing the dish right to the table to serve.
Tongs, our favorite kitchen tool, will do right by your escarole, whether hot or cold.
what you do
Juicy, tangy and still slightly crisp, wilted escarole with lemon is simple and soothing.
Escarole's salad possibilities are virtually endless: serve it with chicken and mint; with beets, walnuts, and goat cheese; or with golden raisins and Dijon mustard.
Parmesan and bread crumbs make a richly contrasting topping for braised greens.
Grilling season is coming to a close, but fire it up one last time for some charred escarole.
If you're craving something warming, try escarole soup -- with kale or with sausage.
Find more escarole recipes at Cookthink.com. And if you haven't yet signed up for a free account at Cookthink, do it now!
what you should know
Though they are not exactly noble, white beans can amount to quite a lot in this crazy, mixed-up world.
For example, during the Hundred Years' War, some crafty French villagers were holed up, surrounded by the English. Using white beans as a base, they made a stew with their remaining rations and the result became known as cassoulet. (Also, a chicken stew with white beans was said to have been the favorite meal of Count Dracula.)
bean town Like all legumes, white beans are high in fiber, versatile and widespread. Still, nothing special enough to use as a mascot or a statue.
dry vs. canned While we love the variety and flavor of long-cooked dry beans, we also appreciate that canned beans are some of the best canned food products out there. When you're hurting for time, they're a fine substitute for dry beans. (You should always rinse canned beans, though.)
cannellini vs. great northern vs. navy All three are sold as "white beans." What's the difference between them?
"hill of beans" The phrase, immortalized by Bogart at the end of Casablanca, is used to describe something of little or no value. This story about a patented legume, however, shows how much a bean can be worth.
what you need
Show us a man who gets excited about a can opener and we'll give him a hobby. Still, being a lefty who has sliced many fingers while prying the tops off of canned beans, Chip really does delight in using the Kuhn Rikon Safety Lid Lifter. True to its title, it lifts the lid right off. No prying needed, and no awkward hand movements.
Go buy two excellent new books by bean-loving food bloggers who inspire Cookthink: Super Natural Cooking, by Heidi Swanson, and Gluten-Free Girl, by Shauna James Ahern.
In Maya Angelou's Hallelujah! The Welcome Table, the writer remembers her most important cassoulet in a chapter called "M.F.K. Fisher and a White Bean Feast."
what you do
You can combine almost anything with white beans and burrito and come out okay. This broccoli and white bean burrito is a good option for reluctant broccoli eaters.
It's a lot of pale food on one plate, but we promise you won't care when you take a bite of these Brussels sprouts with white beans and pecorino.
A simple white bean ragout with lemongrass is an unbaked and vaguely Southeast Asian take on Boston baked beans.
Turkish white bean salad is a classic side dish with any number of variations. You might find a recipe with honey or dill or sumac or pomegranate seeds. We like it with a hint of Za'atar.
You have 10 minutes to throw something together before heading out. This tuna, white bean and red pepper salad is high in protein and fiber (not to mention delicious).
If you need to remind yourself that life can be spectacular, make this pesto pizza with tomatoes, white beans and goat cheese.
Do I need to rinse canned beans?
Do I need to rinse canned beans?
Yes, it's always a good idea. Why? Most canned beans are packed in a thick, salty liquid that adds unwanted texture and taste to a dish. Like many other canned foods, beans also contain a popular color preservative called calcium disodium EDTA. No bad side effects of the compound have been identified (though EDTA did have a role in the O.J. Simpson murder trial).
To wash canned beans, just pour them in a colander, rinse well with cold running water, and swish the beans around until most of the water drains off. If you don't use the whole can, toss the remaining beans with a splash of vinegar to preserve them longer. Store them in an airtight container (not the can) in the refrigerator for up to a week.
