Spicy beans and greens

This versatile dish can be served in a variety of ways--as a soup, stew, side dish, or grain-bowl topper. Play around with different ingredients and techniques. It makes at least 4 servings, more or less, depending on your choice of methods and materials.

Ingredients

1-2 cups beans, soaked 6-8 hours (optionally, cook dry beans in a pressure cooker, or use canned)
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons oil or bacon grease 

1-2 bell peppers, diced
1 poblano pepper (and/or jalapeño), diced
1 medium onion, diced
5-7 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chopped greens (chard, spinach, kale, etc.)

handful of diced bacon, ham, or spicy sausage
Aleppo or red pepper flakes, to desired heat level

salt and pepper

lime juice
fresh herbs

Instructions

Cover beans with unseasoned water, bring to boil and turn down to a simmer and cook until tender, about 1 hour. If using a pressure cooker, 25-30 minutes on manual and use natural release.  Sauté peppers and onions in oil just until lightly caramelized, then add diced meat, if using, and let it brown up a bit. Pour in the stock, stirring and scraping up the brown bits off the bottom of the ban. Finally add the garlic, beans, and greens. Cover and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes to allow the greens to absorb flavors. Season to your taste in the last 5 minutes, and check seasoning again before serving. At this point, it can be a soup to accompany cornbread, especially if you add chunks of ham. If a side dish is desired, let simmer uncovered until it reaches a thicker consistency, or pureé some of the beans as a thickener. Keep in mind it gets spicier and saltier as it reduces. Add lime juice and fresh herbs at the last minute. Makes a great soup with cornbread or a replacement for baked beans. It's also excellent served over rice, farro, or quinoa for a nutritious grain bowl.