Beans with Greens and Olive Oil by bookseller

Soak 1/4 pound dried white beans (I used cannelini; lots of others would probably work as well) overnight in water to cover generously. Drain, cover generously with water, and add any aromatics that you think might be nice; I used half a chopped onion, a clove of mashed garlic, a bay leaf, and a piece of dried chorizo. Bring to a boil, turn heat down, and simmer till beans are tender (mine took about 90 minutes; timing will vary according to both the kind and the age of your beans). Drain, and eat any pork products you had in the pot.

Julienne the leaves only (save the stalks for some green gumbo) of four stalks of chard (I used red; any other kind -- or any other kind of dark green leafy green, for that matter -- would work as well). Chop half a small onion and one or two cloves of garlic.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil (I used garlic oil, in which I had soaked cloves of garlic) over medium-high heat in a largeish pan; spread the drained beans in a single layer, stir them around, and then let sit 3-4 minutes until they are starting to get brown and crusty.

Trickle perhaps a teaspoon of olive oil down the side of the pan, stir the beans around again until the brown sides are facing up (don't make yourself crazy here, MOST of the brownsides, SORT OF up), and repeat till brown and crusty on the other side.

Add a bit more olive oil (the beans do soak that stuff up!), the onion and garlic, and a generous amount of kosher salt and pepper; stir-fry perhaps 2 minutes till the onion and garlic are smelling good. Add in the chard -- plus, if you're feeling reckless, some more olive oil -- and stir everything around until the chard wilts down. Taste for seasoning (mine needed nothing), and scarf. Makes an extremely tasty and healthy side-dish for 3-4.