Recipes Holidays and Events Recipes New Year Good Luck Foods Utica Greens and Beans 4.7 (15) 10 Reviews 8 Photos Why greens and beans on New Year's Day, you may ask? Because, as any scientist will tell you, if you eat 'poor' on the first day of the year, you will enjoy incredible financial prosperity the rest of the year! The original Utica greens do not have beans but they are such a classic combination. Submitted by John Mitzewich Updated on December 19, 2024 Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 8 8 8 8 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 35 mins Servings: 6 Yield: 6 servings Jump to Nutrition Facts Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 2 heads escarole, bottoms trimmed and leaves coarsely sliced 4 ounces pancetta bacon, diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper, or to taste 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chicken broth salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 (12 ounce) can cooked cranberry beans ½ cup fine bread crumbs 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste 2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed Directions Wash escarole leaves in a large bowl in several changes of cold water until no grit remains. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook escarole in the boiling water until bright green and slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer escarole to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Rinse greens in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain thoroughly. Place pancetta and olive oil into a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat; cook until browned and crisp in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir jalapeno peppers into pancetta; cook and stir until peppers start to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Pour chicken broth over pancetta mixture, bring to a simmer, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Gently stir beans into skillet. Mix escarole into mixture, turn off heat, and top with 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Stir until crumbs are still visible but most are incorporated. Season with red pepper flakes. Top with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs followed by Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; drizzle top with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Place skillet under broiler and cook until top is golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately. Cook's Notes: You can drain some of the rendered pancetta fat if it looks like it's going to be too much. You want about 2 tablespoons total rendered fat pancetta in the casserole. You can substitute cannellini, butter, or white beans for the cranberry beans, and prosciutto for the pancetta. I Made It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 307 Calories 18g Fat 25g Carbs 12g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Calories 307 % Daily Value * Total Fat 18g 23% Saturated Fat 5g 26% Cholesterol 19mg 6% Sodium 576mg 25% Total Carbohydrate 25g 9% Dietary Fiber 11g 40% Total Sugars 1g Protein 12g 25% Vitamin C 17mg 18% Calcium 236mg 18% Iron 4mg 19% Potassium 941mg 20% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.