BIRD + CLEAVER

 It's hot. It's cold. We want salad. We want something hearty. Maybe it's this weather, but we are just so damn picky right now about what we want to eat. Yes, even more than normal. For months we talked about how much we really wanted it to be warm, so we could enjoy the bounty of mid-western produce. But now, we are lamenting all the comfort foods that keep us warm during the rest of the year. Seasonal! What's that? It was kind of cold here yesterday, so we are going to give ourselves a pass on this one.

To be perfectly honest, this dish was not only created to satisfy our craving for a hearty one pot meal. We also needed a totally vegan recipe to kick off a cleanse L is doing. So, I think it goes without saying that to keep up the momentum for such an undertaking (I won't go into detail, but being healthy is hard) I knew I needed to make a dish that was going to keep her wanting more of that, and nothing else. So, I threw just about all her favorite things into one dish and ran with it. Not sure what I will do next, but I am safe for now!

• 5 cups waxy potatoes. cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1/2 yellow onion. sliced thin
• 1 medium sized serrano pepper. sliced thin
• 3-4 garlic cloves. minced
• 2 cups cooked white beans (yes, you can use canned if you want)
• 32os can of good quality crushed tomatoes
• 1 bunch broccoli rabe. washed and chopped into large pieces
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives. chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. sherry vinegar
• olive oil
• salt + pepper tt

Add potatoes to a large pot of salted cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are just cooked. Drain, set aside. While potatoes cook add onion, garlic, pepper, and a small amount of olive oil to a large, high walled skillet. Cook over medium heat until just soft. Add tomatoes, cook 10 minutes. While tomato mixture cooks, heat a large skillet and a small amount of olive oil over high heat. Add broccoli rabe and saute until wilted and slightly soft. Add beans, potatoes and broccoli rabe to tomato mixture. Add vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.