Beans & Kale with Anchovy & Rosemary Sauce

Diana Henry is the monthly featured chef at IHCC. I got some tender and deep green kale from the farmers market the other day. This Diana Henry’s recipe, found on her website, seems to fit the bill: a hearty meaty dish, with or without the meat.

This recipe uses fresh borlotti beans, which are impossible to find around here. I did see some dry ones at Eataly in New York City, but with a steep price. So I substituted the prized borlotti beans with their close relative, cranberry beans. They are beautiful looking beans with distinctive crimson streaks on them. The streaks fade as the beans are cooked. But they become mildly sweet, liken to the taste of chestnuts.

What stands out the most in the dish is the anchovy and rosemary sauce. It may not look as appealing as it tastes. You can always count on anchovy delivering that funky umami flavor. Together with fresh rosemary and a squeeze of lemon juice, this sauce is hitting all the different taste notes.

I used one can of anchovies in olive oil. Strained out the oil. Added one teaspoon of fresh rosemary, juice of half a lemon and about two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Crushed them to a paste with a mortar. Seasoned with some salt and pepper. Don’t judge a sauce by its color: it’s a nondescript gray. This sauce really makes the dish sing, scream or exult, whichever echos your sensibility. It is a keeper, for sure.

Cranberry beans — lovely with crimson streaks

anchovy and rosemary sauce is full of different taste notes