In the tinned versus dried beans debate, I go for the former to save time, but only when they are going to get a long cook with other ingredients – in a soup or stew, for example. But when flavour and texture are called for, I always go for dried. The key to success is in how you treat them. Much like you and I, every variety of bean has different needs: some require a little extra love, such as a good overnight soak, whereas others demand little more than a rinse and a quick cook. Prepared correctly, the result is a pot of beautifully cooked beans flavoured with your chosen aromatics and seasonings, making a wholesome yet frugal addition to any meal – minus, of course, the tin.
White bean mash with confit garlic aïoli (pictured above)
I use garlic-infused olive oil three times in this dish: first to flavour a basic bean mash, then to make a thick aïoli to go on top and finally in a layer of cooked beans to add textural interest. Omit the anchovies, if you like, to make it vegan. Serves six as a meze or side dish, or as a dip for flatbread.
Soak Overnight
Prep 10 min
Cook 1 hr 20 min
Serves 6 as a side
350g dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in lots of cold water and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
10 garlic cloves (ie, from about 1 whole head), peeled
3 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
1 green chilli, halved lengthways
200ml olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 anchovy fillets, drained (optional)
90ml lemon juice (ie, from about 4 lemons)
Salt and black pepper
10g fresh dill, roughly chopped
½ tsp aleppo chilli flakes (or another variety)
Drain the beans and put them in a large saucepan for which you have a lid. Add the onion and enough cold water to cover by about 4cm, then bring to a boil on a medium-high heat. Cover, turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 50 minutes, or until the beans are very soft and starting to break up, then drain in a colander.
Meanwhile, put the garlic, thyme, rosemary, green chilli and olive oil in a small saucepan for which you have a lid. Cover, put on a medium-low heat and leave to cook gently for 25-30 minutes, or until the garlic has softened and is just starting to colour. Take off the heat, set aside for 10 minutes, still covered, then strain through a sieve set over a bowl, to catch the solids and reserve the oil. Pick out the herbs and chilli, and set aside. Put the garlic in the small bowl of a food processor with 100g cooked beans, the mustard, anchovies (if using), two tablespoons of lemon juice, 75ml garlic oil, a tablespoon of water, an eighth of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Blitz to a smooth, mayo-like consistency.
In a small bowl, mix 150g cooked beans with a tablespoon and a half of lemon juice, three tablespoons of garlic oil, the dill, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Once the remaining beans are cool, tip them and the onions into a food processor, and add two and a half tablespoons of lemon juice, three tablespoons of garlic oil, a half-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Blitz for a minute, until you have a thick but smooth mash, then transfer to a shallow bowl and spread out over the base, making a slight well in the centre. Fill the well with the confit garlic aïoli, smoothing it out, then top with the herby bean mixture. Sprinkle over the aleppo chilli, top with the reserved chilli, rosemary and thyme, and serve.
Comments 2
Yum. Giving this a go!
As always, a fantastic new recipe from Mr Ottolenghi beautifully prepared by Lorrie. Tasty, zesty, a bit of a bite and aftertaste, and wonderful texture ….. highly recommended