If you happened to read this post, we participated in an evening with earthy Spanish fare, with the men cooking the entire meal. And I’m telling you “all” of the meal.
No women allowed in the kitchen, is what our husbands told us. I’ll share more about what a Men’s Dinner Club is in a future post, but today I want to share my husband’s Spanish White Bean recipe, because it was so dang good!
I’ll tell you a little secret first, though. My husband first made a very small portion to make sure it was “good enough.” Ha! Funny man!
I just might have done the same if I knew that I was going to be competing with other amazing cooks. But really, the food was out of this world. Especially Craig’s Paella – which he made 3 gigantic pans to feed about 40. (Don’t have the recipe yet.)
The beauty of Paul’s white bean dish is that it really doesn’t take much time to cook. I just know this summer, when our garden is in season, we’ll be harvesting Swiss chard and making this for our guests. I’m thinking that we can freeze pancetta especially for this dish, for last minute or unexpected company.
Bush’s Spanish White Beans & Swiss Chard – Paul Style
4 oz pancetta
4 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup pine nuts
12 oz Swiss chard leaves
4-5 Tbsp olive oil
4 cans (15 oz each) Bush’s white beans (also known as Great Northern Beans)
1 1/2 cup beef broth
Salt to taste
1 cup chopped dates
Fresh basilFinely chop the pancetta; set aside.
Clean the Swiss chard leaves and chop (do not use the stems).
Open Bush’s white beans and drain.
Pour the olive oil into a large, heavy-bottom frying pan and heat. Sauté pancetta for 3-4 minutes; then add the pine nuts and garlic. Do not overcook. Toss in Swiss chard leaves and stir.
Once the Swiss chard leaves are wilted, add the white beans and broth. Simmer on low for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
The last 2 minutes of cooking, toss in the dates and the chopped fresh basil and stir.
Serve with crostini or your favorite bread.
Paul added Roland’s Ginger Balsamic Glaze right before serving. It added a sweetness and a bit of tartness to the dish that was fabulous! (An inexpensive and quick way to add flavor to a meal that even kids enjoy!)
What’s an easy way to make crostini? I’ll be sharing soon. It’s really easy.
Do you have a favorite way that you cook with white beans?
(I have a working relationship with Bush’s Beans, but they did not pay for me to write this post today.)
Hi, I'm Sandy. Five years ago I stocked up on beautiful glasses from the Dollar Store. As I started writing about dinner parties, I realized that this “icon” portrays a great message. It says that dinner parties are attainable, they are affordable, and that they can be beautiful even when on a budget. 
Wow! The dates surprised me. We are able to grow kale in our garden much of the year so this one is definately a keeper. My DH cooks a lot and is always looking for recipes that incorporate his garden veggies, I’ll point this out to him.
Darla
Darla´s last [type] ..Altered Candy Tin
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I must say that a man who cooks is an awesome thing!
Lynn from For Love or Funny´s last [type] ..Sorry- but I’m the best parent ever
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I love white beans, just made minestrone soup with them! Great dish Paul:)
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Definitely have to try this! We get Swiss chard in our organic produce deliveries, and I never know what to do with it. This sounds like the perfect winter warm-up dish.
Kristen´s last [type] ..Maybe video games arent pure evil after all
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You had me at garlic, pine nuts and dates Paul.
Barbara | Vino Luci Style´s last [type] ..French Fridays with Dorie Greenspan – Paris Mushroom Soup
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Ooooh, dates? That’s interesting! I bet they work well with the pancetta! This looks delicous!
Mrs. Jen B´s last [type] ..Chicken Tikka Masala
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My husband works at the Chestnut Hill, TN Bush Bros. plant……so we are all the time trying out new recipes with their beans. Love your blog!
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Sounds like a lot of fun, and a treat for the ladies. I hope “no women in the kitchen” also included when it was time to do the dishes!
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Oh wow…. Totally going to talk to Mr HG about starting a Men’s Dinner Club. What a fab idea. The food looks incredible. The Ginger Balsamic Glaze sounds ‘to die for’.
Anna Johnston´s last [type] ..TROPICAL FRUIT PAVLOVA BURGERS
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Thanks for the recipe! I guess I cannot find Bush’s beans here but I will replace them with other white beans and try it soon. It is such a good idea for winter!
I like to use white beans in a salad that consists of boiled white beans, boiled and chopped eggs, very good quality olive oil, chopped onions, salt&pepper and vinegar. This salad can also be used as a side dish.
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Yummy! This sounds sooo good!
Kirstin´s last [type] ..Eating Healthy
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