- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/4 pound mild or hot sausages, casings removed
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound kale, tough stems removed, leaves washed well and shredded
- 3 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes with their juice
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- 4 cups drained and rinsed canned cannellini beans
- In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking the meat up with a fork, until the it loses its pink color, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and then stir in the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and kale to the pan and cook, stirring, until the kale wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the kale is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir the beans into the stew and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. If you like, mash some of the beans with a fork to thicken the sauce.