 |
SIMPLY PERFECT All you need to make a meal of white beans, grilled vegetables, and fresh tomatoes is a glass of rose. (Photograph by Jim Scherer; Styling by Catrine Kelty) |
Cooking
White bean salads
Hearty summer meals based on legumes instead of lettuce.
I love all legumes, but given a choice, I always opt for white beans. This time of year, I use them in hearty salads. Like pasta, white beans make a mild (and healthy) base for just about any ingredients you care to add. In the different salads here, I toss beans with grilled vegetables and fresh tomatoes and with marinated peppers and olives. Adding crumbled feta, queso fresco, or fresh goat cheese (I use about 3/4 cup) makes the salads more filling and a bit richer – fitting main dishes for a light summer meal. The last salad riffs on a tried-and-true Tuscan favorite, fagioli e tonno. I tinker with tradition by adding blanched green beans and using grilled fresh tuna instead of canned.
White Bean and Grilled Vegetable Salad
Makes about 9 cups
2 garlic cloves, minced
11/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more, to taste
Salt and black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 large red or yellow bell pepper, cut into planks
1 medium onion, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices and threaded onto skewers
2 19-ounce cans navy or cannellini beans, rinsed
1/2 pint red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, mint, tarragon, chives, or celery leaves
In a large nonreactive bowl, whisk together the garlic, thyme, mustard, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Vigorously whisk in 1/4 cup of the oil.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high. (If using a gas grill, adjust burners to medium-high.) Brush zucchini, bell pepper, and onion with remaining oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Grill zucchini, bell pepper, and onion until tender, turning as necessary, 8 to 10 minutes for the peppers and 12 to 14 minutes for the zucchini and onions. Chop the zucchini into 1/2-inch chunks, cut the peppers into thin slices, and roughly chop the onions.
Add the vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and most of the herbs to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper, or vinegar, if necessary, sprinkle with remaining herbs, and serve.
White Bean and Marinated Bell Pepper Salad
Makes about 8 cups
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large red or yellow bell peppers, whole
2 19-ounce cans navy or cannellini beans, rinsed
1 cup green olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
In a large nonreactive bowl, whisk the garlic, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Vigorously whisk in the oil.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high. (If using a gas grill, adjust burners to medium-high.) Grill the whole bell peppers until skin is charred all over, turning as necessary, about 15 minutes. Place the charred peppers in a bowl, then cover and let steam to loosen the skins, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers (reserving as much of the juice as possible), and remove and discard cores and seeds, then cut the flesh into strips. Add the bell peppers to the dressing, toss to combine, and set aside to marinate for about 1 hour.
Add the beans, olives, and most of the parsley and toss to combine. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt, black pepper, or vinegar, if necessary, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve.
White and Green Bean Salad with Grilled Tuna
Makes about 9 cups
1 large tuna steak, about
12 ounces and 1 inch thick
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 anchovy fillets, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil, for grill grates
1/2 pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups), boiled 3 minutes, and shocked in ice water
2 19-ounce cans navy or cannellini beans, rinsed
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
In a shallow dish, rub the tuna with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, cover, and refrigerate, turning several times, for about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, in large nonreactive bowl, whisk together garlic, thyme, anchovy, lemon juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Vigorously whisk in the remaining olive oil.
Prepare a very hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high. Sprinkle the tuna generously with salt and pepper and oil the grill grates with the vegetable oil. Grill the tuna, undisturbed, until bottom and sides are opaque, about 2 minutes. Turn and continue grilling, undisturbed, to medium-rare, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a serving platter, tent loosely with foil, rest for 5 minutes. Cut off several thin slices and reserve for garnish; cut the rest into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
Add the green beans, tuna, navy or cannellini beans, onion, and most of the parsley to the bowl with the dressing and toss to combine. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, or lemon juice, if necessary. Arrange sliced tuna over the salad, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.
Send comments or suggestions to Adam Ried at cooking@globe.com.
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
