White bean salad

This is good either warm or cold, great as a side dish for grilled meat.  White beans taste MUCH better if you cook them from dried beans, rather than using canned – I usually cook a whole pound and freeze whatever I don’t use immediately.   And save the broth from cooking them!  It’s delicious.

Ingredients

·        ½ lb small dry white beans, soaked and then cooked until tender with about a ½ tsp of salt (makes about 3-4 cups, when cooked)

·        5 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

·        ½ tsp salt

·        1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

·        1 large handful water cress or arugula

·        2 tablespoons grated parmesan

·        Additional salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a saute pan, slowly warm the garlic in the olive oil over low heat for a couple of  minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic. It should be very fragrant and just beginning to soften.

Immediately add the beans and fold in very gently. Heat the beans through, about 3 minutes, occasionally turning the beans gently as they heat through.  Add the greens and gently move them around in the pan until they are slightly wilted (30 to 60 seconds). Turn into a serving bowl and top with the parmesan and salt and pepper  to taste.

Options: You can add a little chopped rosemary if you like, or a gremolata, or some toasted panko, or small cubes of toasted bread.   If you have any leftovers, throw them in the blender with some lemon juice and some more olive oil and voila!  White bean dip!