The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook - Kim O'Donnel [18]
In a deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, add the cayenne pepper halves, and allow to roast for about 15 seconds. Add the celery, leeks, carrot, and shallot and cook until slightly softened, about 6 minutes. Add the smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper to taste and stir to combine. Remove the cayenne. Taste for salt and black pepper and adjust as you see fit.
Transfer the drained beans to a large mixing bowl. Season with the lemon zest and juice, sage leaves, wine, and roasted garlic. Stir until the mixture is well combined. Taste for salt and adjust as you see fit.
Transfer the skillet veg to the bowl of seasoned beans, and stir in until well combined.
3 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or great northern beans, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups dried white beans, soaked for 4 hours (Details for dried-bean version follow.)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
12 sage leaves, stemmed and
chopped roughly
½ cup white wine or water
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese
½ teaspoon saltIt
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
Grease a 9-inch casserole dish or something similar in proportion. Transfer the beans to the dish.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the parsley, bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt. Cover the beans with the bread crumb mixture and dot with butter, if using.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 25 minutes, or until slightly bubbly on the edges. Remove the foil and allow the cheese to brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve hot.
Makes 6 servings
Plan B: Cassoulet with Dried White Beans
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Begin by cooking the soaked beans with 4 cups of water and a sachet of aromatics (six black peppercorns, lemon zest from ½ lemon, and 3 sprigs fresh parsley) wrapped in cheesecloth.
Bring the beans to a rolling boil and cook at a hard boil for 5 minutes. Lower the heat and cook at a simmer until tender to the bite, at least 1 hour. Add more water as needed (you want the beans always to be covered). Remove the sachet. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir.
While the beans are cooking, roast the garlic.
When the beans are tender, stir in the roasted garlic. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F.
As with the canned version, cook the aromatics in skillet and add to the beans. Taste for salt and pepper and season accordingly.
Proceed to assemble in the casserole dish with the seasoned bread crumb topping and bake the same way, covered.
SEARED ROMAINE WEDGES
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 head romaine lettuce
HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, and salt, whisking with a fork until the salt is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Set aside the vinaigrette.
Cut the romaine in half, keeping the root in intact. Wash and dry carefully, keeping the halves in one piece, then cut into fourths.
Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. No oil is necessary. Place the romaine wedge onto the griddle, cut side down, in batches (don’t crowd the pan). Lower the heat, then allow the lettuce to char slightly, about 90 seconds. Use tongs to check on doneness and transfer to a platter.
Drizzle the vinaigrette over the wedges and serve immediately.
Makes 4 servings
Jig-Inducing Falafel Burgers ★ Cooler- weather side: Oven Sweet Potato Fries ★ Warmer-weather side: Tabbouleh
JIG-INDUCING FALAFEL BURGERS
I’ve taken the deep-fry out of this popular Middle Eastern snack and given it a new lease on life. Instead of little balls, which tend to get hard and dry in a deep pool of oil, I’ve shaped the spiced chickpea batter into burgers, which get pan-fried and finished in the oven. The result: Crispy and golden on the outside, tenderly moist on the inside, and soft enough to serve on a hamburger