Brandade Of White Beans With Artichokes And Truffle Vinaigrette Recipes

WHITE BEAN AND ARTICHOKE GRATIN

Steps:

• Bring a small amount of water to a simmer in a pot and set a steamer basket over it.
• Using a sharp paring knife, peel the stems on the artichokes and remove the tougher outer leaves; remove the inner leaves by hand, then cut away the center chokes. Place the artichokes in the steamer basket, cover and cook until tender when pierced, about 30 minutes, adding hot water if needed during cooking. Roughly chop the artichokes into 1/2-inch pieces and combine them with the cannellini beans and leeks in a large bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the Parmigiano-Reggiano, heavy cream and creme fraiche. Pour into the artichoke mixture and toss well. The mixture should be creamy and smooth; if too thick, add more cream to thin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Pour the mixture into an 8-inch casserole dish. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, thyme leaves and lemon zest; sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
• Bake the gratin until the mixture is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Finish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.

CANNELLINI BEAN AND ARTICHOKE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine cannellini beans, tomatoes, artichokes, celery, onion, olives, white wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, oregano, garlic, kosher salt, ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes together in a large mixing bowl; toss until well combined. Refrigerate until chilled, 8 hours to overnight.

SAUTEED NAVY BEANS AND ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, season with red pepper, and cook about 1 minute. Mix in beans, and continue to cook and stir until slightly crisp. Mix in artichoke hearts, and cook 2 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt. Top with Romano cheese to serve.

BRANDADE OF WHITE BEANS WITH ARTICHOKES AND TRUFFLE VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Place the beans and the garlic in a saucepan and cover with water. Place over medium heat and simmer until beans are tender, about 40 minutes, adding more water if necessary to keep the beans covered. Drain and place the beans in a food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper and process until smooth.
• Place the cream in a bowl and whip with a whisk until the cream holds soft peaks. Fold the cream into the bean puree. Adjust seasoning if needed and refrigerate until cold and firm.
• Place the vinegar in a mixing bowl and whisk in the olive oil and truffle oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut 4 of the artichoke hearts into wedges.
• To serve, place 1 whole artichoke heart in the center of each of 4 plates. Spoon the bean puree into the center of the artichoke hearts. Arrange the artichoke wedges around the plates. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the chopped truffle, if using, into the vinaigrette and spoon it over the dish. Garnish with the mache and sprinkle with chives. Serve cold.

WHITE BEAN BRANDADE

Steps:

• For the beans: Quarter the carrot, onion, and celery. In a 4-quart saucepan, sweat the vegetables and garlic with the bacon for 3 minutes. Add the beans and cover with twice the volume of chicken stock or cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 hours or until soft. Remove from heat and cool in liquid. Remove vegetables and bacon, and drain well. Makes about 1 quart of beans. For the brandade: Place the cooked beans, anchovies, Parmesan, garlic, and rosemary in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add olive oil in a steady stream while blending. Season with salt and freshly cracked white pepper.

ITALIAN WHITE BEAN AND ARTICHOKE SALAD

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl whisk.
• Combine spinach and remaining ingredients in large bowl.
• Drizzle with vinaigrette.
• Toss gently.

SEARED ARTICHOKES WITH WARM WHITE-BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with 1 inch water and bring to a simmer; season generously with salt. Using a serrated knife, trim top third off each artichoke and rub all over with one lime half.
• Place artichokes in pot, stem-sides up; cover and cook until hearts are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 20 to 30 minutes (depending on size). Let cool slightly, then halve artichokes and scoop out chokes. Stir together mayonnaise and juice of remaining lime half; season lightly with salt.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium. Add bread and cook, stirring, until golden and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels; season with salt. Wipe skillet clean; swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season artichokes with salt and pepper; add to skillet, cut-sides down. Cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add garlic to skillet and cook until fragrant and just golden, about 30 seconds. Carefully stir in beans with cooking liquid; season (there will be some steam and spattering). Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in celery, parsley, vinegar, and red-pepper flakes. Transfer to bowls, top with artichokes and croutons, and serve with lime mayonnaise and more oil, red-pepper flakes, and parsley.

SCALLOP BROCHETTES WITH ARTICHOKES AND WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook beans:
• Cover beans with cold water to cover by 2 inches in a large bowl and soak, covered, overnight. Drain in a colander.
• Cook onion and carrot in butter in a 4- to 5-quart pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add soaked beans, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Simmer beans, partially covered, until tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Add salt, then cool beans in their cooking liquid, uncovered, until warm.
• Prepare artichokes while beans are simmering:
• Squeeze juice from 1 lemon half into a large bowl of cold water, then drop same half into water.
• Cut off stem of 1 artichoke flush with base using a sharp paring knife. Bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips. Cut yellow leaves flush with top of artichoke bottom. Discard purple leaves and scoop out fuzzy choke with melon-ball cutter. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke with knife, then rub artichoke bottom all over with another lemon half and drop artichoke into acidulated water. Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Put 3 quarts water in a 5-quart pot, then squeeze juice from remaining 2 lemon halves into water and stir in oil and salt. Bring to a simmer. Drain artichoke bottoms and add to simmering liquid, then simmer, partially covered, until tender, about 25 minutes. Cool artichokes in cooking liquid until warm.
• Make vinaigrette while beans and artichokes cool:
• Blend vinaigrette ingredients except canola oil in a blender until well combined. With motor running, add canola oil in a slow stream and blend until emulsified.
• Cook scallops:
• Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. Thread 4 scallops through sides onto each skewer. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté scallops, 3 skewers at a time, until golden and just cooked through, 21/2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer brochettes to a plate.
• Assemble dish:
• Heat vinaigrette in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until warm. Drain beans in a colander, discarding bay leaf and thyme, and transfer to a large bowl. Transfer artichoke bottoms with a slotted spoon to beans and toss beans and bottoms gently with 1 cup vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste.
• Place an artichoke bottom, stemmed side down, in each of 6 shallow bowls or soup plates and top with beans. Arrange scallop brochettes over beans, then drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and sprinkle with parsley.

TRUFFLED WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Note: if you're buying metric, you want the 540 mL can of beans; you're aiming for about 2 cups of beans.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook diced bacon until crisp (it will take about 10 minutes or so).
• With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to drain on paper towels, but leave bacon fat in pan; raise heat to medium high.
• Add shallots and saute for one minute.
• Now add beans, thyme and lemon juice; stir.
• Cook until beans are warmed through, anywhere from two to four minutes.
• Return bacon to pan and season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in olive oil and truffle oil and remove from heat.
• Arrange spinach evenly over four plates and spoon warm bean mixture on top.

WHITE-BEAN PUREE WITH WHITE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Cover the beans with water, and soak overnight. Or use the quick- soaking method: Cover the beans with water, bring to a boil, and boil 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside for 1 hour.
• Drain the beans and discard the soaking water. Place the beans, onion, sage, garlic and oil in soup kettle. Add fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook, covered, at a bare simmer until the beans are very soft, 40 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the age of the beans. Keep a teakettle of water simmering, and as the beans absorb the liquid, add more water, little by little. The beans should always be covered by liquid but never swimming in it.
• If fresh sage is used, remove the sprigs and discard. Place the beans and liquid in a food processor, and process until very smooth. If using fresh white truffle, scrape half into the puree, and continue processing until well blended. Serve the puree immediately, with the remaining truffle shaved over the surface. If using truffle paste, puree the entire amount with the beans just before serving.