Escarole with Dandelion and Sausage is a comforting yet wholesome dish that sits perfectly between a soup and a stew. Packed with creamy butter beans, earthy dandelion leaves, and flavourful sausages, this recipe combines hearty ingredients with a light, nourishing broth.
Perfect for a cosy night in or pop it in a soup flask to take with you on your next forage, this meal is simple to prepare yet deeply satisfying, offering a taste of rustic, seasonal cooking at its best. Serve with crusty bread for a complete, hearty experience.
Ingredients:
Serves 4
- 400g dried butter beans
- 200g Dandelion leaves
- 8 sausages (meat or vegetarian)
- 1 litre chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 2 carrots, peeled
- 1 onion, studded with cloves
- 4 garlic cloves
Method:
1. Place the butter beans in a bowl and cover with water until just submerged. Leave to soak overnight in the fridge.
2. Heat a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Fry the sausages until golden brown all over. Once browned, remove them from the pan and set aside.
3. Drain the water from the soaked butter beans. Add the butter beans to the saucepan along with the chicken or vegetable stock, peeled carrots, the clove-studded onion, and the garlic cloves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Wash the dandelion leaves thoroughly and chop them into 1-inch pieces.
6. After 30 minutes, return the sausages to the pan to finish cooking. Stir in the chopped dandelion leaves during the final minute of cooking to retain their vibrant colour and flavour. Ladle into bowls and enjoy this hearty dish that’s not quite a soup, not quite a stew, it’s somewhere in-between– a perfect balance of lightness and heartiness.
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