Bean And Chicory Crostini Recipes

WHITE BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the beans, 1/4 cup oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and process until smooth. Add olives and thyme; process until blended. , Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with remaining oil. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly. Spread each slice with 1 tablespoon bean mixture. Garnish with olives and thyme if desired.

BEAN AND CHICORY CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top one-quarter of the head of garlic, and discard. Place head of garlic on a small piece of parchment paper-lined foil. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until soft and slightly caramelized, about 1 hour. Measure 1 tablespoon garlic; set aside. Use remaining garlic for another use.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt and the chicory. Return to a boil, and cook until just tender, about 1 minute. Drain well, and let stand until cool enough to handle. Squeeze out excess liquid, set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mash half of the beans; set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add reserved roasted garlic, and cook until warm and fragrant. Add the drained chicory, the whole and mashed beans, and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture onto crostini. Drizzle with oil, and serve with lemon wedges.

ARUGULA AND FAVA-BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Cook fava beans in boiling water, uncovered, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Gently peel off skins (if using edamame, don't peel).
• Pulse fava beans in a food processor until very coarsely chopped, then transfer half of mixture to a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 cup arugula, cheese, lemon zest and juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to favas in processor and purée until smooth. Add to bowl. Coarsely chop remaining cup arugula and gently fold into fava-bean mixture.
• Cut 16 diagonal slices (1/3 inch thick) from baguette and put in a 4-sided sheet pan. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil. Bake until pale golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Rub with cut side of garlic.
• Spoon fava-bean mixture onto baguette toasts, then drizzle with oil and top with mint.
• What to drink:
• Fontaleoni Vernaccia di San Gimignano '07

WHOLE-GRAIN CROSTINI WITH BEANS AND GREENS

Steps:

• Prepare a grill or heat an oven to 400 degrees. Use about half the oil to lightly brush each slice of bread. Grill until grill marks appear or bake until golden and slightly crisp, about 10 minutes. (Turning is unnecessary but doesn't hurt.)
• Put remaining oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes. Add beans and spinach, and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes more.
• Add sage and, if necessary, enough reserved bean liquid to keep mixture moist. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. (You can prepare and refrigerate all of this before assembling crostini; warm gently before proceeding.)
• Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon on top of crostini, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve immediately

WHITE-BEAN AND CAPER CROSTINI

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine cannellini beans, onion, capers, olive oil, and white-wine vinegar. Mix, mashing beans slightly; season with salt and pepper. Top crostini with topping.

WHITE BEANS AND ROSEMARY CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat a fireplace to medium heat. Adjust the grill racks over the flame and heat a heavy Dutch oven over the rack. Alternatively, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Once hot, add the oil to the saucepan. Add the pancetta and render some of its fat. Add the rosemary and garlic, and saute until fragrant. Stir in the beans, lemon juice and some salt and pepper. Mash the beans with the back of a wooden spoon. Don't mash them all smooth, you want some texture.
• Toast the baguette slices. Serve the beans on top of the toasted baguette. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.

ARTICHOKE AND BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray
• Lay the prosciutto in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crispy. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• On another baking sheet, arrange the bread slices in a single layer. Using a pastry brush, brush the bread with 1/4 cup of the oil. Bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine the artichoke hearts, beans, cheese, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until the mixture is chunky. With the machine running, slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Spoon the artichoke mixture onto the crostini. Crumble the prosciutto and sprinkle on top. Drizzle with oil and serve.

SMASHED CANNELLINI BEAN CROSTINI

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a shallow saucepan over a low-medium heat and scatter in the sage leaves, if using. Fry for 2 mins until crisp, lift onto a plate using a slotted spoon. Tip the onion into the pan and cook for 3 mins until soft, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Sprinkle in the pepper and toast for 1 min, then stir in the beans. Turn off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice.
• Season the mixture with salt, then tip into a food processor or mini chopper with the remaining oil. Blitz everything together to your desired consistency - it can be a smooth or a rough paste. Will keep covered in the fridge for two days. Bring to room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• Serve the dip as is with crostini or breadsticks, or drizzle with a little extra olive oil and top with the crispy sage leaves, if using.

WHITE BEANS WITH CHICORY

Steps:

• Combine the beans with 2 quarts water in a 4-quart pot and bring to a boil. Skim any foam, then add the onion, crushed garlic, bay leaf and salt to taste. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours, until the beans are very tender. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove and discard the onion, garlic cloves if desired, and bay leaf. Drain through a colander or strainer set over a bowl. Mash the beans with a potato masher and moisten with some of the cooking liquid. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. The purée should be loose.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the lettuce. Cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and drain. Squeeze out water and chop coarsely.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds, and stir in the lettuce. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until the lettuce is nicely coated. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the mashed beans.