Cargamanto Cranberry Bean & Green Kale Stew

Vegetarian Tuscan Bean Stew
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Rancho Gordo Cargamanto Cranberry Beans
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp extra virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 cup onion, chopped coarse
1 cup carrots, chopped coarse
1 cup celery stalks, chopped coarse
1 Tbsp crushed garlic
2 1/2 cups gluten free vegetable broth
2 Bay leaves
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
6 loose cups kale, ends trimmed, hard stems removed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 sprig fresh rosemary
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

Directions

1. Soak our beans over night (8 hours at least) in large container filled with water.

2. Rinse mushrooms quickly and then soak them in 1 cup of warm water for 30 minutes. remove the mushrooms and strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer, mince the mushrooms and set both aside for use later.


3. Preheat oven to 250° F. adjust rack to lower middle position.

4. Heat some olive oil in a large Dutch Oven over med. Add onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes (until vegetables are lightly browned and softened). Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the remaining water, bay leaves, soaked beans, mushrooms, vegetable broth and reserved mushroom water and stir. Increase heat to high and simmer stew for a few minutes. Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for an hour or until the beans are nearly tender (still firm inside). (if it is taking too long to cook, turn the heat up to 275 and check it every 15 minutes)

5. Take the pot out of the oven and add the tomatoes and the kale. Return to oven and cook for another 30 minutes to an hour (or until beans are fully tender).

6. Remove the pot from the oven and throw in the rosemary sprig, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprig, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm.