White Bean and Chard Ragout with Spinach and Toasted Almonds

A hearty and healthy one pot white bean and chard ragout that is filled with spinach and topped with toasted almonds. Serve over rice, pasta, polenta, or even mashed potatoes!

So this is the meal we need to be eating in-between all of the Thanksgiving gluttony.

Or you could even serve it at Thanksgiving! You know, if your family is not like my family and won’t revolt at the thought of something so green on the table.

You would think they’d be more accepting by now what with all the exposure therapy I’ve put them through but, erm, no.

This recipe is actually (slightly adapted) from Ottolenghi’s newest cookbook: Simple. If you own any of his other cookbooks then you know that using his name with the word “simple” in the same sentence is kind of an oxymoron.

(I suppose you could say the same for myself.)

BUT! The recipes in this book really are SIMPLE in execution. But not on flavor. In true Ottolenghi style he combines ingredients in ways I never would have thought possible and they just work.

This was the first recipe I made from the cookbook and I pretty much chose it for no other reason than that I had a bunch of chard and a tub of spinach in the fridge that I needed to use up. Kismet? I like to think so.

First, you saute some sliced almonds in oil and paprika until they’re toasty and a glorious shade of burnished gold.

Then IN THE SAME PAN (<– swoon), you saute chard in some garlic, simmer it with tomatoes, and then stir in spinach and fresh herbs at the end. I took the liberties of adding a can of white beans to allow it to stand on its own as a meal and ultimately served it atop a bed of brown rice with a sprinkling of feta on top.

(And then later this week with grilled cheese sandwiches. We’re so fancy.)

White Bean and Chard Ragout with Spinach and Toasted Almonds

 

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A hearty and healthy one pot white bean and chard ragout that is filled with spinach and topped with toasted almonds. Serve over rice, pasta, polenta, or even mashed potatoes!

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ tsp paprika
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 1 large bunch of Swiss chard, stalks thinly sliced and leaves roughly chopped
• 8 oz baby spinach
• 2 limes, to get 2 tbsp juice
• 1 bunch of mint, leaves roughly chopped
• 1 bunch of dill, leaves roughly chopped
• 8 scallions, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 14 oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. Heat a large lidded saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil and once hot add the almonds and paprika. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until the almonds are golden brown. Transfer to a bowl. Strain out the oil once cool.
2. Return the pan to medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Once it is hot, add the garlic and fry for 1 minute or until starting to brown. Add the tomatoes, chard, and ¾ tsp salt. Stir through to combine. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Remove the lid and stir in the spinach, lime juice, mint, dill, scallions, and white beans. Heat through and then remove from the heat.
3. Serve topped with almonds and feta.

Notes

Recipe adapted slightly from Ottolenghi Simple

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