White Beans with Grass fed Beef Italian Sausage and Spinach

This dish was inspired by a wonderful lunch while I was on vacation over New Years in Sonoma County. We wandered on rainy country roads, and found ourselves in Bodega Bay. A gallery owner in Valley Ford, suggested a place that specializes in local seasonal produce, Terrapin Creek. They were still serving and although my first choice, crab cakes were sold out, I was very pleased with my warm comforting and healthy white beans and sausage. While I waited for my meal I recalled reading about this lovely little restaurant in a recent Sunset magazine, which the Andrew Truong the co-owner, confirmed. In my verision below, I used local grass fed beef Italian sausage, from Springville Ranch, and fresh spinach from my own garden.

White Beans with Grass fed Beef Italian Sausage and Spinach

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried cannellini or great northern beans, washed and soaked overnight

1 bay leaf

1 med onion cut in half 2 quarts of water

1 medium onion chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary ½ tsp fennel seeds crushed

¼ tsp pepper flakes

kosher salt

1 lb pound Italian sweet sausage, cut into 3 inch pieces

10-12 oz cleaned and stemmed fresh spinach

DIRECTIONS

1. Drain the beans. Combine the drained beans with water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, reduce the heat to low and add the halved onion, and the bay leaf and cover. Allow to simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until the beans are very tender. Drain over a bowl and measure out 1 cup of the broth. Discard the halved onion and bay leaf. OR this can be done in about 12-15 minutes in a pressure cooker.
2. While the beans are cooking, heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage. Browned lightly, about 7 to 11 minutes.
   
3. Add the chopped onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the herbs, reserved beans and reserved broth, and continue cooking for 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning as desired with salt and pepper.
   
4. Just before serving, add the spinach. Cook until wilted but still bright green. Serve with toasted and buttered country bread.