Best White Bean And Grilled Vegetable Puree Recipes

WHITE BEAN PUREE, RADICCHIO, AND RED ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and gently cook the onion until it's soft but not colored. Add the beans, garlic, chicken stock or water, and salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes.
• Process the beans and their cooking liquid in a blender or food processor with the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice, leaving the mixture slightly chunky. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste.
• Halve each radicchio. Then thickly slice each radicchio into circles or cut each half into 4 sections, trimming and discarding the base and a little of the white heart from each section.
• Halve the onions and trim the base of each. Cut each half lengthwise into crescent moon-shaped wedges, each about 3/4 inches wide at its thickest part. (Or just slice them horizontally, if you prefer.)
• Mix the olive oil, balsamic, and seasoning together in a dish. Put the onions in a bowl and the radicchio in another bowl then drizzle both with dressing. Gently turn to coat and let sit for about 10 minutes.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat until really hot but not smoking. Cook the onions quickly until well colored on all sides, turning once or more. Reduce the heat to low and let the onions cook, turning frequently, until softened, maybe 2 minutes or so.
• Meanwhile, spoon the white bean puree into a serving dish, reheating it gently first if you want to. The puree can also be served at room temperature.
• Increase the heat under the onions to medium-high, add the radicchio to the skillet, and cook just until the radicchio is wilted and colored on each side-this will happen very quickly, say, 45 seconds or so. Pile the radicchio and onions on top of the white bean puree. Season with salt and black pepper, and serve with a little oil drizzled over the top.

WHITE BEAN PUREE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, sweat the garlic in chicken stock. Add the beans and cook until heated through.
• Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree with the remaining ingredients, except hot pepper sauce. Adjust seasoning, and add hot sauce, to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

GRILLED FETA AND PEPPERS ON PUREE OF WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Place beans in a bowl, cover with water by a few inches, and soak overnight. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and saute until soft and just golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Drain the beans and add them to the saucepan. Cook over low heat until beans are very soft, adding more water if needed, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (There should hardly be any liquid left when the beans are ready.)
• Meanwhile, roast bell peppers over a gas flame or on a tray under the broiler. Keep turning so the skin is evenly charred, without burning and drying out the flesh. Transfer charred peppers to a plastic bag, tie the top closed and let steam until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. To peel peppers, pull off the charred skin by hand and then dip the peppers briefly in water to remove any blackened bits. (Do not peel the peppers under running water since that would wash away the flavorful juices.) Once peeled, cut away stems, seeds and veins, and slice peppers into strips.
• Heat a grill. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.
• Cut six 12-inch squares of aluminum foil. Divide pepper strips among center of foil squares. Arrange one feta square atop peppers, along with tomato slices, and drizzle reserved olive oil mixture over the top. Wrap foil packets securely and place on grill or under the broiler. Grill until packets are heated through, about 5 minutes.
• When beans are ready, mash them with the back of a spoon to form a paste, or place in a blender and process until smooth. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with the lemon juice, sugar, and salt and pepper.
• Spoon bean puree onto individual plates, and use a spatula to slip roasted peppers, feta and tomatoes off of foil and onto puree. Drizzle with olive oil, garnish with Kalamata olives, and serve with Retsina.

WHITE BEAN PUREE ON ENDIVE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, broth, sugar, red pepper flakes and salt and black pepper to taste. Increase the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by about half, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer to a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the chives, mint, parsley and lemon zest and juice; season with salt and pepper.
• Trim the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem from the endives. Remove the large outer leaves and reserve for another use. Carefully separate the medium and small leaves, trimming the stem more as necessary. Reserve the baby leaves for another use.
• Spoon some of the bean puree onto the base of the medium and small leaves and garnish each with a small mint leaf. Arrange decoratively on a platter. Serve immediately.

GRILLED TUNA WITH WHITE BEAN PUREE, OLIVE TAPENADE AND ROASTED CHERRY TOMATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lay out cherry vine tomatoes in a single layer on a roasting tray. Drizzle with orange chili oil and roast in the oven for 8 to10 minutes until tomatoes are slightly burst and have given off their juices. Set aside.
• Add tapenade ingredients to a food processor and process to a coarse puree. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and anchovies and sweat for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the beans followed by the warm chicken stock and cook until heated through. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and puree with a splash of white vinegar, salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Thin with extra stock if the puree is too thick. Give it a final taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.
• Now prepare the tuna. Heat a large cast iron griddle pan over high heat. Drizzle the tuna with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the hot grill for about 45 seconds and then turn over and do the same. The tuna should be rare on the inside and have nice grill marks on the outside.
• To serve, smear a spoonful of the white bean puree on the bottom of a plate. Top with a the tuna and a spoonful of tapenade over the top. Set a cluster of the roasted tomatoes over the top and drizzle the juices from the pan all around the plate. Garnish with fresh arugula leaves.
• Make the chili oil by adding the thyme, rosemary, chili flakes and orange peel to the oil. Put aside and let it sit for at least 1 hour to let the flavors infuse.

BLADE STEAKS WITH ROSEMARY WHITE-BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• Pat steaks dry and cut 3 shallow slits across center cartilage in each steak (to prevent curling). Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sear steaks, turning once, 5 to 9 minutes total for medium-rare.
• Meanwhile, drop garlic into a food processor with motor running. Add beans, broth, remaining tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until smooth.
• Transfer steaks to a plate and reduce skillet heat to medium. Add tomato paste and 1 teaspoon rosemary and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add wine and boil, scraping up brown bits, 30 seconds. Stir in purée and 1 tablespoon olives and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in meat juices from plate and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve steaks with purée. Top with remaining rosemary, olives, and a drizzle of oil.

WHITE BEAN, KALE AND ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.
• Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)

WHITE BEAN PURéE

Steps:

• 1. Soak the beans overnight. Or place beans in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat; remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 1 hour.
• 2. Drain the beans; transfer to a 2-quart pot with the diced onion, celery, carrot, smashed garlic, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, 5 cups of broth, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat; simmer until beans are very tender, about 90 minutes. If the mixture becomes dry, add some of the remaining broth.
• 3. Drain the beans; discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Warm the beans in a pan over medium heat. Add the cream, thyme leaves, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Let simmer. Cook until the cream is reduced and is almost dry on the beans, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• 4. Puree the beans in a food processor, adding a few drops of oil. Adjust seasonings.

GRILLED VEGETABLES AND WHITE-BEAN FATTOUSH

Steps:

• Preheat a grill or broiler to medium-high. Stir together 2 tablespoons oil and harissa. Brush mixture over peppers and onion; season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until tender and charred in places, about 15 minutes.
• Whisk together vinegar and remaining 6 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Toss escarole with 2 tablespoons dressing; season with salt and pepper. Mound onto a serving platter.
• Toss beans and herbs with 2 more tablespoons dressing and pile alongside. Place grilled vegetables, feta, and pita chips next to greens and drizzle with more dressing. Serve.