Cheesy Mashed White Beans With Kale, Parmesan, and a Fried Egg

Special equipment: Potato masher or food processor

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 ounces grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• 2 ounces grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups finely shredded kale
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup finely sliced scallion whites and light greens

Procedures

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add beans, cream, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then mash beans lightly with a potato masher. Add water until a loose, porridge-like consistency is reached. Stir in cheddar and Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
   
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, until wilted and starting to crisp, about 4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and transfer to a bowl.
   
3. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.
   
4. To serve, stir half of scallions in white beans and adjust consistency with water as necessary. Transfer to warm bowls, top with sautéed kale then with a fried eggs. Sprinkle with remaining scallions and grate some Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.

Hearty Escarole, Barley, and Parmesan Soup

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 20 minutes, total time 40 minutes

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 large carrot, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 mediums talks celery, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 large head escarole, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tabelspoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup parled barley
• 1 1/2 quarts low sodium store-bought or homemade vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 4-inch chunk Parmesan rind
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Procedures

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add rosemary and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add escarole and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and mixture begins to sizzle, about 5 minutes longer. Add barley and cook, stirring, until coated with oil, about 1 minute.
   
2. Stir in broth. Add bay leaves, Parmesan rind, soy sauce, and fish sauce (if using), and bring to a boil. Reduce to a bare simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until barley is softened and soup has absorbed flavor from parmesan and bay leaves, about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley. Serve, drizzling with olive oil and sprinkling with Parmesan.

Pasta With Mushrooms, Brussels Sprouts, and Parmesan

A quick dinner of orecchiette pasta tossed in a clingy sauce made with mushrooms, shallots, thyme, and brussels sprouts leaves.

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 25 minutes

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 pound brussels sprouts, divided into individual leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces mixed mushrooms such as shiitake, button, cremini, and maitake
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced (about 1/4 cup)
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon picked fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 pound dried orecchiette
• 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Procedures

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until smoking. Add brussels sprouts, toss to coat in oil, season with salt and pepper, cook without moving until well charred on one side. Toss and continue to cook until leaves are bright green and charred in spots, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
   
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until moisture has been evaporated and the mushrooms are well browned, about 4 minutes. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme and cook, stirring, until shallots are softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add butter, lemon juice, and stock. Simmer until sauce is reduced and emulsified, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper (this may not be necessary if stock is store-bought). Set aside off heat.
   
3. Add orecchiette to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly al dente (about 1 minute less than the package instructions). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Add orecchiette, half of Parmesan, reserved pasta cooking water, and a generous amount of black pepper to mushrooms. Cook, stirring, over high heat until pasta is fully al dente and liquid has thickened into a sauce that coats the pasta, about 1 minute. If sauce looks greasy or broken, add 2 tablespoons of stock or water and stir vigorously to bring it back together. Stir in brussels sprouts leaves and serve, topping with more cheese at the table.

Kale, Parmesan, and Fried Egg Tartine

Ingredients

serves serves 4 as an appetizer, active time 20 minutes, total time 20 minutes

• 4 slices of hearty bread, such as French pain au levain or sourdough
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium clove garlic split in half, and 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 quart of finely sliced kale leaves (about 8 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
• 4 eggs
• 1 ounce finely grated Parmesan cheese

Procedures

1. Preheat broiler to high and adjust rack to 6 inches below element. Brush bread slices on all sides with 2 tablespoons olive oil and rub with split garlic clove on all surfaces. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan and broil until golden brown and toasted on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and broil until second side is toasted, about 2 minutes longer.
   
2. Toss kale with 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and massage with hands to coat evenly. Pile dressed kale on top of toasted bread, covering entire surface. Return to broiler and broil until kale is wilted and charred, about 5 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium non-stick or cast iron skillet until shimmering. Add eggs and cook until whites are set but yolk is still runny, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
   
4. Place 1 egg on top of each slice of kale and toast. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Spaghetti and Parmesan Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients

serves serves 4 to 6, active time 1 hour, total time 1 hour

• 2 tablespoon homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken broth (or water)
• 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin, optional (see note above)
• 3 slices white bread (about 3 ounces), untrimmed, grated (see note above)
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for garnish
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves, roughly chopped, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 medium cloves garlic, grated (about 4 teaspoons), divided
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
• 3 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 pound spaghetti

Procedures

1. Pour chicken broth into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Let sit at least 5 minutes to soften. Place bread in a large bowl and moisten with milk. Stir in cheese, egg, parsley, half of the basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 clove garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes until combined.
   
2. Heat gelatin mixture in microwave or in a small saucepan until melted and stir into bread mixture. Add chicken and gently mix with hands until just combined. Chill 10 minutes and then, using wet hands or a 1/4-cup ice cream scoop, form into 12 balls.
   
3. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, and tomatoes (with juice). Bring to simmer and cook 10 minutes to let flavors meld. Season to taste.
   
4. Carefully nestle meatballs into the sauce and cover. Simmer until meatballs are just cooked through (160°F), about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in remaining chopped basil. Keep warm.
   
5. Heat 3 quarts of salted water in stock pot over high heat. Add pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente (usually about 1 minute less than recommended cooking time on box). Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain pasta. Return pasta to pot and toss with 1 cup sauce, adding pasta water if necessary to loosen. Serve, topping with meatballs, more sauce, and Parmesan cheese.