A couple weeks ago, I made baked beans for the first time. It was quite a revelation. Baked beans (and other related dishes) had previously scared me because of the amount of prep involved, but it seems that (unlike the illusive Thanksgiving turkey), once you get the beans in the oven, they really do cook themselves.

It was a combination of the weather, the need for something leafy and green, and the skilled photographers of the NY Times that persuaded me to revisit baked beans, so soon after my first foray. The ingredients to this recipe bore a striking similarity to one of my favorite soups (which usually turns out to be more of a stew than soup). The beans on the other hand, claimed to have a smooth creamy consistency. A cross between this stick-to-your-ribs-goodness, and this one.

If you’re looking for a recipe that’s packed with knock-your-socks off flavor, this is not it. On the other hand, if you’re looking for some good old fashioned winter-warming food, you’re in the right place.

Slow Baked Beans With Kale

(Serves 6)

•1 bunch kale, stemmed and washed in two changes of water
•3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
•1 medium onion, chopped
•1 carrot, chopped
•1 rib celery, chopped
•4 garlic cloves, minced
•1 2/3 cups white beans (3/4 pound) or dried lima beans, picked over and soaked for at least four hours and drained
•1 6-ounce can tomato paste, dissolved in 1 cup water
•3 cups additional water
•A bouquet garni consisting of 4 parsley sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs and a bay leaf
•1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (savory, fennel, basil, thyme)
•Salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper
•1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees.

OPTIONAL (my kale was pretty fresh, so I skipped this part): Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the kale. Blanch for two minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain, squeeze out water and cut into ribbons. Set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large ovenproof casserole. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the dissolved tomato paste, and bring to a simmer.

3. Add the drained beans, the remaining water, the bouquet garni, herbes de Provence and salt and pepper.. Stir in the kale, bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven. Bake three hours until the beans are tender and creamy. Taste and adjust salt (I also squeezed in a lemon at this point to brighten the flavors a little).

4. Mix together the remaining olive oil and the bread crumbs. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the beans, and continue to bake another 30 minutes to an hour until the bread crumbs are lightly browned. Remove from the heat and serve; or allow to cool slightly and serve with fresh parmesan cheese and a crusty baguette.

Note: Make sure that the beans come to a simmer on top of the stove before placing them in the oven. Do not use old beans, which will not soften no matter how long you simmer them. If the beans do not soften in the oven after a couple of hours, raise the heat to 300 degrees. If you live at a high altitude, raise the oven temperature and let the the beans bake for longer.

Advance preparation: You can make this recipe through Step 3 and store it in the refrigerator up to four days ahead of serving. Top with the bread crumbs, and reheat in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes until the beans are bubbling and the bread crumbs lightly browned.