Braised Beans Served with Cotechino

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried cranberry beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth
• water as needed
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 pound Cotechino sausage
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

Step 1

Soak the cranberry beans in a large bowl filled with cool water, making sure they're covered by a few inches. Let them sit for at least 8 hours or overnight to soften up.

Step 2

When you’re ready to cook, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent—about 6 to 8 minutes. Then, toss in the soaked beans along with the chicken broth, water, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, rosemary, and thyme.

Step 3

Take the cotechino and prick it all over with a sharp knife. Nestle it into the pot with the beans and broth, bring everything to a gentle simmer, and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook until the beans are tender, about an hour.

Step 4

Once the beans are soft, remove the cotechino and set it on a cutting board. Peel off the casing and cut the sausage into thin slices about a quarter-inch thick.

Step 5

Stir the Swiss chard into the pot and cook just until it wilts, around 3 to 4 minutes. Taste the beans and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Step 6

In a skillet, warm another tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Fry the cotechino slices in batches until they’re nicely browned and a little crispy, about a minute per side.

Step 7

Serve the beans in bowls and top them with the crispy sausage rounds for a comforting, flavorful meal.