Start the water for the cous cous and kale at the same time, then do the rest of the prepwork while they cook, in order to save on time.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1½ cups cous cous
Salt
1 bunch kale, trimmed of the thick stalk in the middle
Olive oil
2 mild Italian sausages
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white beans, rinsed
3 tablespoons white wine
Large handful of basil leaves, chopped
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
First, make the cous cous: bring 1½ cups water to boil in a small saucepan with a lid. When it boils, add the couscous and ¼ teaspoon salt, give it a good stir, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for 10 minutes, or until the other components are ready.
Next, make the kale. Bring a big pot of water to boil. Add a couple teaspoons salt and the kale. Boil for 12 to 15 minutes, until the kale is tender. Reserve 1 cup of the water, then drain the kale. When it's cool enough to handle, chop it into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Onto the sausage. Remove the sausage from its casings and break into small chunks. Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sides of the sausage are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Scoop up the sausage and transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and put in the garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, just until softened (but keep a careful watch, since the pan will be hot from cooking the sausage). Add the beans. Add the wine and stir to scrape up any bits of sausage stuck to the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce til it just films the pan, then add ½ cup of reserved kale water and reduce again.
Add the sausage back in, then add the kale. Stir the cous cous in its pot to get rid of any clumps, then add that too. Add the basil and the parm, stir the whole thing together. Serve hot or room temperature.
Recipe by Big Girls Small Kitchen at http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2012/05/cous-cous-with-sausage-greens-and-white-beans.html