Name: Clam and Cannellini Bean Stew with Sausage for One
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon oil; 2 ounces sweet Italian sausage , casing removed; 1 shallot , minced; 3 ounces Swiss chard , stems chopped fine, leaves chopped coarse; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon tomato paste; ¼ cup dry white wine; 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth; 1 cup water; 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans , rinsed; 1 pound littleneck or cherrystone clams , scrubbed; Lemon wedges

Why This Recipe Works

This easy-to-make yet complexly flavored stew combines the salty brightness of fresh littleneck clams with the earthy, aromatic qualities of fennel-scented sweet Italian pork sausage and the heartiness of cannellini beans and Swiss chard. To keep things simple for the solo cook, we came up with a concise and readily available combination of ingredients (white wine, tomato paste, shallot, and garlic) to tie the flavors together.

Before You Begin

If you plan to store and reheat a portion of this stew, discard the clam shells and nestle the clams into the soup. If you'd like to accentuate the briny flavor of the clams, substitute up to ½ cup of clam juice for an equal measure of the broth. We call for 2 ounces of sausage in this recipe, but you can use more without negatively impacting the recipe. You could use the leftover Swiss chard to substitute for the spinach in Stovetop Spinach Macaroni and Cheese.

Instructions

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add shallot and chard stems and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until reduced by half, 30 to 60 seconds.

Stir in broth, water, and beans, bring to boil, then add clams and chard leaves. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until clams open, 4 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and discard any clams that refuse to open. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges. (Soup and shelled clams can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)