Lemon Ginger Ragout

I'm not gonna gripe about the Chicago weather right now. Everyone's freaking out but it's been colder than this, guys. Chill out. That being said, this is the perfect dish for a cold winter day (or night) - savory, easy to make, and versatile based on whatever you've got in the fridge. Serve it as a side dish or as a main course with a hearty piece of cornbread (which Aaron makes all the time but has yet to blog about...)

Lemon Ginger Ragout (serves 4-6 as a side dish)

1/4 red onion
2 garlic gloves
4 leaves rainbow chard
2 roma tomatoes
1 can cannelloni, navy, or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 lemon
1 Tbls. grated ginger
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop the onion and smash and dice the garlic. Separate the stems from the leaves of the chard and slice the stems. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion for a few minutes, then add the chard stems and saute for a few more minutes.

While the garlic, onion, and chard stems are cooking, dice the tomatoes and chiffonade the chard leaves. Add the tomatoes, cook for a few more minutes.

Add the chard leaves and beans and continue to cook until the leaves just start to wilt, then grate in the ginger and the zest from half of the lemon. Cook for a few more minutes, seasoning to taste.

Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the ragout before serving.