Recipe #24: Roma White Bean Salad

Hi there! So I've been MIA for a bit, but I'm back, and accompanied by the cutest (and tiniest) sous chef in the world.



So, let's get cookin'!

During the summer (and, well, anytime of year in New England -- our high for today is 92, on MAY 2ND!), I love to use as many fresh ingredients as I can get my hands on. I can't wait for the farmers' markets to start up, because the freshness of those foods goes unparalleled.

BUT, even if the best you can do right (now wherever you are) is having foods that are fresh... from the supermarket, that's OK. The flavor in this salad is just as developed whether you buy tomatoes at a farmer's market or a supermarket.

Also, please note, I have charred peppers for past recipes, and one is used below. You can substitute the jarred roasted red peppers if you don't have access to fresh produce, but I can assure you that the flavor of the fresh-roasted type we use below is SO worth the 30-35 minutes it takes to prep it for use. I also didn't use anything special on the pepper just for this recipe, so if you ever need a roasted pepper, below is the method that will get you what you need.

Roma White Bean Salad
Prep time: 40 minutes

6 roma tomatoes
4 tablespoons of olive oil
juice of half a lemon
4 garlic cloves*
1 15.5-ounce can white kidney beans (cannellini beans)
1 red bell pepper
1/2 shallot
8 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper

Serving options:
3 Belgian endives -- if serving as a dip or veggie salad
OR
8 ounces penne pasta (half the box) -- if serving as a pasta salad

Tools
plastic wrap
gas or charcoal grill
large bowl for mixing
large bowl for serving
food processor

If serving as pasta salad, cook pasta in salted water, drain, set aside to cool, and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil so the pasta doesn't stick. We'll get back to that later.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Halve tomatoes, remove seeds. Toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and place on a baking sheet. Top with sugar (it helps the caramelization) and roast in oven for 30 minutes.



While tomatoes are in the oven, heat grill. Brush red bell pepper with vegetable oil, and place on grill. Turn to ensure even charring on all sides. Skin should be evenly blackened on all sides after about 15 minutes on the grill.

Gettin' there!

Remove and immediately place into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit and cool for 20 minutes.



The wrap over the top will keep the moisture in and make it easier to remove the skin once cooled. Set aside.

While waiting for tomatoes and pepper to finish, mince the shallot, and dice the artichoke hearts. Drain the liquid from the can of beans and rinse with water to remove some of the starchy liquid. Toss beans, shallot, artichoke and feta cheese in serving bowl.

Tomatoes should now be done. Let cool, then slice into smaller pieces (each half should be sliced into about 8 strips). Toss with bean mixture.

Red bell pepper should also be done. Remove plastic wrap, and carefully remove charred skin and discard.



Cut pepper into two pieces, remove the core and all seeds. Pat dry.



Chop into bite-sized pieces. Add to serving bowl.

If serving as pasta salad, throw pasta in with vegetables and beans now.

Add to food processor lemon juice, garlic. Process, streaming remaining olive oil in to emulsify. When mixture has combined (hint: this is done when the oil isn't separated from the lemon juice/garlic), pour over salad and toss together to coat.

If serving with endives, cut ends off and serve in a large bowl accompanied by individual leaves.






*Comments:
-Garlic: I don't usually use fresh garlic when I cook. What I use instead is a huge jar of Spice World minced garlic. It saves me the time of having to chop (and have my hands smell like) garlic for any given recipe. For this recipe, if you use the jarred garlic, use two tablespoons.

Recipe #8: Pasta e Fagioli

When I was a kid, my mom made this soup once, and I remember going with her and my sister to bring it over to my great grandfather's for him to try. I don't remember his reaction, or whether he liked it, but I remember that whenever that was -- I'll guess about 15 years ago, maybe -- it was the best soup I'd ever had. It wasn't complicated and it wasn't expensive to make. It was basically a mixture of stuff anyone would already have in their pantry. A few weeks ago, I asked my mom about it, and if she remembered how to make it. To my surprise, she still had the recipe. When she sent it to me, I expected long detailed instructions, but after receiving a list of ingredients and two basic instructions, I called her to see if maybe she forgot part o the recipe. She told me she had gotten it from a chef on TV and just had a pen to write down the ingredients. Well, I've added a couple things of my own and I think I've gotten a pretty good soup. One item of note: It drives me absolutely crazy when I have seen repros of this recipe over the years and they include meat. Even Olive Garden's version contains meat. Traditional Pasta e Fagioli (which our family pronounces pasta fa-zool) doesn't have any meat in it, it has beans and tomatoes, because they were cheap "peasant foods." There was no meat in the real thing, so in mine still there shall be no meat! :) Please note -- wherever you see a (*) next to an ingredient or tool, there is a comment about it below the recipe. Enjoy!

Pasta e Fagioli

Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves of garlic*
1 15-ounce can Great Northern Beans*
dash thyme
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
8-10 fresh basil leaves (4 whole and 4 ripped or chopped)
2 quarts chicken broth
2 cups dry pasta*
4 tablespoons tomato paste

Tools
Large pot
Mixing spoon

Heat olive oil and garlic in pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add can of beans and liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Add in tomato pasta, mix to combine. Add four chopped/ripped basil leaves, thyme and parmesan cheese, mix to combine. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes.



Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add pasta, allow to cook for 15 minutes or until pasta is tender.



Serve as is or garnished with a basil leave and topped with parmesan cheese and olive oil.



*Comments:
-Garlic: I don't usually use fresh garlic when I cook, unless it's going to be almost raw in the dish. What I use instead is a huge jar of Spice World minced garlic. It saves me the time of having to chop (and have my hands smell like) garlic for any given recipe. For this recipe, if you use the jarred garlic, use two tablespoons.

-Beans: If you can't find "Great Northern Beans," you can use cannellini beans. Just remember not to rinse them off or discard the liquid in the can. Adding the beans AND the liquid gives the broth a good amount of starch.

-Pasta: I used small shells for my soup, but any tiny pasta would work. Don't use a large pasta, or it will absorb a lot of space and you'll end up with more pasta than broth. Try a small variety or Barilla Picollini for tiny versions of big pasta!