White Beans & Charred Broccolini with Anchovy Vinaigrette
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This recipe will have you looking at white beans in a new light. Tender and creamy, they're served over smoky, lemony charred broccolini and dressed with a pungent anchovy vinaigrette (see recipe Notes for vegan option.) Don't be put off by the long cook time, as it's nearly all hands-off while the beans simmer. The entire dish will only require about 15 minutes of active work.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree, Complete Meal, Meatless, Vegan-Friendly
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • For Beans:
  • 8 oz (1 cup) dried cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed & drained
  • 1 3-inch strip kombu¹
  • 1 large shallot, peeled and quartered
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed (leave intact)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • ½ tsp Kosher salt
  • Water or unsalted vegetable stock
  • For Vinaigrette:
  • 120 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 90 ml (6 Tbsp) aged sherry vinegar
  • ½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 4 anchovy fillets or 2 tsp anchovy paste²
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • For Broccolini:
  • 1 lb broccolini, tough ends trimmed
  • 30 ml (2 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Generous pinch dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (from about ½ large lemon)
  • For Serving:
  • Chopped Italian parsley, charred lemon slices
Procedure
  1. Cook beans: Add beans, kombu, shallot, carrot, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt to a medium saucepan. Add water to cover by one inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 1 ½ -2 hours until tender but still holding their shape, adding liquid as necessary to cook through and keep them from drying out. (Cooking time will depend on size and age of beans, so start checking them after about an hour to see how they’re doing, and gauge remaining cook time accordingly.) Drain beans and discard all aromatics.
  2. Make vinaigrette: Add all ingredients to blender and puree until smooth. (Alternatively you can whisk everything together in a bowl, just mash whole anchovy fillets and mince or grate garlic first.) Season to taste with salt and pepper, and adjust with more oil or vinegar if desired. Set aside.
  3. Cook broccolini: Rinse broccolini in cool water and shake off excess. Toss broccolini with olive oil, and season with a generous pinch of salt. Heat a heavy cast iron or stainless skillet over high heat, add broccolini, and cook without stirring for about 2 minutes or until browned in spots. Toss and continue to cook for another 2 minutes, add red pepper flakes and lemon zest, toss once more, and cook for another minute until broccolini is tender.
  4. Serve: Arrange broccolini on plates and leave pan on stove. Slice zested lemon into thin slices, and lay the slices in the still-hot pan to caramelize for a minute. Spoon beans over broccolini. Drizzle with anchovy vinaigrette, and garnish with chopped parsley and charred lemon slices.
Notes
¹Kombu us a type of seaweed that, when added to the pot during cooking, makes beans more digestible. You can find bags of kombu strips at Asian markets and most large grocery stores that carry a decent selection of international ingredients. If you can’t source kombu locally, it is, like nearly everything else these days, readily available online.


²To accommodate a seafood allergy or make this dish vegetarian/vegan friendly, substitute the anchovy with either 2 tsp umeboshi paste, or 1 tsp white or yellow miso + 1 Tbsp chopped kalamata olive.
Recipe by Good Health Gourmet at https://goodhealthgourmet.com/white-beans-charred-broccolini-anchovy-vinaigrette/