Choose one or more from each of the following:
Beans
Chickpeas, navy, pinto, lentils, black, kidney or whatever dried bean(s) you like. Soak dry beans overnight in well-salted water. If using canned beans, omit the soaking. Drain and rinse well.
Greens
Kale (curly or lacinto), Swiss chard (any colour), spinach, collards, rapini, bok choy, etc. For greens with a large center vein (like kale, spinach and chard), using a sharp knife, cut out the vein, roll up the remaining leaf width-wise into a small cigar then cut cross-wise into small slices creating narrow strips (chiffonading). Alternately, tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.
Grains
Rice, quinoa, farro, millet, barley, wheat berries, oats, polenta (corn and not really a grain, I know, but it works well here), freekeh, sorghum or your favourite grain(s). To cook, a really rough rule-of-thumb is to put an amount of grain into a pot, cover it with double the amount of water, bring it to a boil, then cover and turn the heat down to the lowest setting and leave undisturbed for about 30 minutes (more or less depending on how much you are making). Check on it intermittently and when ready, fluff with a fork and serve.
Aromatics
Onion, garlic, celery, carrots, fennel, stems and large center veins from greens etc. Try adding other "body" type vegetables such as potatoes and/or squash. Chop into uniformly small pieces and sauté in a little olive oil.
Seasonings
Your spice rack and your imagination are the limit! Try sniffing and tasting various herbs and spices and try to get a feel for how the tastes of each might work together with the other components and just experiment! In his great little book, Kill the Recipe, Mark Andrew Gravel gives a lovely list of possible combinations grouped by type of cuisine that is a great starting point. Another option could be to use spice blends, such as some of the awesome ones at Monsoon Coast.
To Serve:
- Stew style: Sauté the aromatics in a bit of olive oil. Add the beans and seasonings and cover with about an inch of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and simmer: 30-90 minutes for dry soaked beans or about 30 minutes for rinsed canned beans or lentils. Add the greens about 5 minutes before the beans are ready and allow to wilt. Stir well and serve over grains.
- Hoppin' John style: Sauté the aromatics in a bit of olive oil until tender. Cover beans with about an inch of water. Add some chopped onion, garlic and seasonings. Bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer: 30-90 minutes for dry soaked beans or about 30 minutes for rinsed canned beans or lentils. Briefly steam or sauté the greens to wilt. Serve beans beside the greens over the grains. Top with hot sauce tahini and/or some diced tomatoes and parsley if desired.
