Comfort Food From The Garden

I decided not to go to the farmer's market this week, and finishing work at 7 am the morning of only had a little bit to do with my decision. We're not taking full advantage of our garden and before I turn the beds fully over to spring crops I thought we should celebrate the last of our winter crops. Tonight, Tuscan kale and a bit of burgundy chard. While looking to make the most of my late in the season but still super fresh produce I stumbled on an earthy recipe from Italian culinary matriarch Lidia Bastianich, polenta with white beans and black kale. The beans are cooked simply with olive oil and bay leaves (I did that a couple days in advance). The kale is quickly braised with chunks of bacon in plenty of olive oil, and the polenta is velvety soft and laced with easy melting nutty (I used Gruyere, Toma and Parmesan) cheese. This is the kind of simple Italian cooking where the ingredients, not technique, play a starring role. A perfect way to show off our garden's bounty.