Escarole and Beans

Hey guys... here is my go-to quick weeknight meal!  Seriously - it is healthy, packed with flavor, quick to make, and easy to reheat!  It's perfect!

Escarole with White Beans and Sausage

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Escarole-with-Italian-Sausage-and-White-Beans-15600

Okay, so Antonio totally got me hooked on this dish when he started cooking it for me when I first met him.  This is a classic Italian dish.  And the recipe above is more of a suggestion - this is super flexible.  My favorite way to cook this is with cannellini beans, Italian sausage, diced pancetta, and TONS of Parmesan cheese grated on top.

However - it doesn't matter what type of pork meat you use.  I've used boneless ribs, pork bones, pork fat, etc.  In this dish, it was actually the meat off some pork shanks.  You cook up the meat, and add some onions and garlic.  Usually at that point, I just pour in some white wine so the brown bits get scraped up.  Then add some chopped escarole and let it wilt.  (Warning:  Escarole is like spinach!  It wilts away, so you will need more than you think you need.)  After it's wilted, add lots of chicken broth, a little red pepper, and let it just simmer away.  At this point, I'll add whatever white beans we have in the house (cannellini, small white, etc) and then a rind of Parmesan cheese for flavor.  The beauty of this dish is that you can simmer it 10 minutes or 30 minutes - doesn't really matter.  Once you're ready to eat, simply serve, and grate tons of Parmesan cheese over.

Trust me on this, guys!  It's cheap, filling, flexible, easy to make, and reheating leftovers is equally delicious!