| Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef | Wiley, 2010 | Feeds 4
One slow night at the restaurant, I was fooling around with the extra white beans I had lying around. We were doing food and wine from Tuscany that month, so I had the rind of a good Parmesan cheese. I figured that if I simmered the beans in good extra-virgin olive oil with the Parm, this might taste like Italy. I let the beans braise overnight on the pilot light of the gas stove. That slow simmer yielded beans with a creamy tenderness and a little crunch on top.
I have to tell you, in all honesty, that I have never been able to replicate those beans. We’ve made the braised white beans a dozen different ways while writing this book, and none of our methods have produced beans exactly like the ones I made that night. It must have been something about the moment, the hope of her loving those beans, and me. This white beans recipe comes close, though.—Daniel Ahern
Authors’ Ponderings on Parmesan Rind Note: You don’t have to use the Parmesan rind if you don’t happen to have one on hand, but the next time you get to the end of your Parmesan, throw the rind in the freezer to save for making this batch of beans.—Shauna James Ahern and Daniel Ahern
Active time: 10 minutes | Total time: 12 hours.
Braised White Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried cannellini beans
- 1 small nub Parmesan cheese rind (about the size of half a thumb)
- 3 cups olive oil (you want a mild to peppery oil, not a fruity one)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
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1. Making the braised white beans recipe takes a bit of planning. Start the day before by soaking the beans overnight in cold water to cover.
2. Drain the beans and place them in a large saucepan along with the Parmesan cheese rind. Cover the beans with the oil and set over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to bubble, turn the stove to its lowest possible setting.
3. Allow the beans to simmer, with only the occasional bubble rising to the surface, until they are soft and tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Throw the garlic, rosemary, and thyme into the saucepan with the beans. Season with salt and pepper and then stir everything together. Grab a spoonful, tip the spoon to let the oil drain off, and then taste the beans. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Take the saucepan off the heat and set aside to allow the beans and oil to fully cool, about 1 hour. During this time, the flavor and aroma of the herbs will mingle with and infuse the beans.
5. Before you serve the beans, drain them from the oil but reserve the oil. Store any leftover beans in the oil in the refrigerator for up to several days.
- Sautéed Spinach and Cannellini Beans with Balsamic Vinegar from Food and Spice
- Lemony White Beans With Grilled Onions from Herbivoracious
- Cassoulet of White Beans, Sausage, and Duck from Leite’s Culinaria
- Grilled Swordfish Puttanesca with Fennel and White Beans from Leite’s Culinaria
Braised white beans recipe © 2010 Shauna James Ahern and Daniel Ahern. Photo © 2010 Lara Ferroni. All rights reserved.
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[Dan Kraan] I really enjoyed these braised white beans. It’s the first time I’ve actually noticed the presence of the Parmesan cheese rind in a recipe that calls for it. The beans themselves have a rich, full flavor and firm texture, somewhat firmer than regular cooked beans. I removed the stems of the thyme and rosemary, but left in the garlic cloves, which, at the end, had become luxuriously smooth. They really complemented the beans. I might just throw in a few more in next time!
Oh yum! Looks delicious! I have to ask: What are cannellini beans?
Thanks!
Laura, cannellini are large white beans–bigger than navy beans, about the size of kidney beans. I find them in the Spanish section of my supermarket in CT and NYC.
Added a splash of apple cider vinegar to give it a little acidity. Was delicious with Irish soda bread.