BRAISED PORK RIB RAGOUT WITH BEANS AND KALE

Place the beans and salt in a large saucepan and cover them with water by about 2 inches.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low boil.  Let cook for 1 hour.  Drain in a colander and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Season the pork ribs all over with the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and paprika.  Heat the oil in a large 6-7 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat.  When the oil is very hot, add the ribs, meaty-est side down.  Sear for 2-3 minutes on all sides until the crusted and caramelized.  Remove the ribs from the pot to a plate and set aside.

Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and herb bundle to the pan drippings and cook, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until the veggies begin to soften and are fragrant.  Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes more until the mushrooms have released their moisture and begin to lightly brown.

Add the flour and tomato paste to the pan and cook, stirring, until a paste has formed about 1-2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and white wine to the pot and stir until smooth.  Add the chicken stock, salt, pepper, and the reserved beans to the pot.  Bring to a boil.

Add the kale to the pot and cook stirring to submerge the leaves in the stock.  Add the ribs back to the pot along with any juices that have formed on the plate. Nestle them into the stew so they are mostly covered.  Add as much water to the pot as necessary so the ribs are covered ¾ of the way up.

Cover and place in the oven for 1 ½ hours.  Remove the pot from the oven and gently stir the ragout with a fork, poking the ribs.  If the meat is not falling off the bones, place the pot back in the oven for 30 minutes until the meat is very tender and falling apart and the beans are very tender.

Serve the ribs and ragout over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.  Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.