Garlicky Swiss Chard with White Beans and Fried Eggs

From the garden

• 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves torn, stems sliced thin and kept separate — a large bunch
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

From the pantry

• 3 tbsp olive oil — plus more for drizzling
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 cans canned white beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup vegetable stock
• 4 eggs
• 1 lemon — half for the pan, half in wedges
• ¼ cup grated parmesan (optional)
• 4 slices crusty bread — for serving
• salt — to taste
• black pepper

1. Warm the olive oil in a wide, lidded skillet over medium heat. Cook the chard stems with a pinch of salt 3–4 minutes until they start to soften, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute until fragrant and pale gold.
2. Pile in the chard leaves in batches, tossing until each addition wilts, 3–4 minutes total.
3. Add the beans and stock, and simmer 5 minutes. Smash a spoonful of beans against the side of the pan to thicken the liquid into a loose, creamy sauce, and season with salt and the juice of half the lemon.
4. Make four wells in the beans, crack an egg into each, cover, and cook over medium-low 4–6 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
5. Finish with black pepper, parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve from the pan with lemon wedges and thick slices of crusty bread for dragging through the beans.