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1. Drain the kidney beans and rinse. Place in a large saucepan and add 1 quart fresh water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off any foam. Add the bay leaf, halved onion, 1 of the garlic cloves, and salt to taste. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 1 hour. Remove the bay leaf and halved onion and discard.
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2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add the sliced onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to color. Turn the heat to low, add a generous pinch of salt and continue to cook, stirring often, until the onion is dark brown and has melted down to about half its original volume, about 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans with their broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partly covered, for 30 to 60 minutes, until the beans are tender. Taste and adjust salt.
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3. Add the spinach by the handful, stirring until wilted before adding the next handful, until all of the spinach has been added. Stir in the herbs and scallions. Using a needle, pierce the limes in a few places and add them along with 1/2 cup of their soaking water (if you aren't using the limes, just add an additional 1/2 cup water). Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the greens and herbs are tender but still bright. Taste and adjust salt. Add pepper. Remove the dried limes before serving.
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4. Serve with lemon wedges and squeeze fresh lemon juice into each bowl.
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Note: You can also add lemon juice directly to the stew, but the acid will dull the color of the greens in a short time.
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Nutritional information per serving: 280 calories; 11 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 milligrams cholesterol; 35 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 94 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 14 grams protein
