Romano Bean Salad Recipes

ROMANO BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add beans and cook uncovered until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and set aside in a large bowl.
• Smash garlic, olive oil, mint, and salt using mortar and pestle.
• Pour vinegar and half of olive oil mixture over beans and toss well.
• Transfer beans to a resealable freezer bag. Pour remaining olive oil mixture into bag, squeeze out all air, seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
• Remove beans from refrigerator, top with fresh mint and serve.

FARRO SALAD WITH TOMATOES AND ROMANO BEANS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine the farro and tomatoes.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Toss with the farro and tomatoes and set aside.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil, and fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and add the green beans. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, until just tender. Transfer to the ice water, then drain. Dry on paper towels.
• Shortly before serving, add the beans to the farro mixture, along with the chopped herbs. Toss together, taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the top and serve.

PANFRIED TOFU WITH ROMANO-BEAN AND HERB SALAD

Steps:

• Cut each tofu block lengthwise into 3 equal pieces. Drain on paper towels.
• Peel hard-boiled eggs and halve lengthwise. Remove hard-boiled yolks and place in a food processor. Thinly slice whites crosswise and reserve.
• Add lemon juice, water, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to yolks in food processor. With motor running, add 1/2 cup oil in a slow stream, processing until emulsified and smooth and scraping down sides as needed. Transfer to a bowl and stir in shallot, parsley, and capers. Reserve 1/4 cup dressing for serving.
• Cook beans, uncovered, in well-salted boiling water until crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain well. Transfer to a bowl and toss with dressing (excluding 1/4 reserved dressing for serving). Gently toss with arugula, tarragon, and egg whites. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, lightly beat remaining 2 eggs in a medium bowl. Pat tofu dry and season both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt (total). Coat tofu with egg, letting excess drip off, then fry, turning once, until golden and heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain briefly on paper towels, then serve with salad and reserved dressing.◊

ROMANO BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add beans and cook uncovered until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well, and set aside in a large bowl.
• Smash garlic, olive oil, mint, and salt using mortar and pestle.
• Pour vinegar and half of olive oil mixture over beans and toss well.
• Transfer beans to a resealable freezer bag. Pour remaining olive oil mixture into bag, squeeze out all air, seal and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
• Remove beans from refrigerator, top with fresh mint and serve.

BRAISED ROMANO BEANS WITH SALMORIGLIO

Steps:

• Beans, part 1: Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim the ends of the tomatoes, then cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Spread them, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet and bake 45 minutes. Remove and let cool.
• While the tomatoes are roasting, spread the slivered almonds in a small, ovenproof sauté pan and slide into the oven, underneath the tomatoes. Toast for 5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Meanwhile, trim and clean the Romano beans, peel and slice the shallots and garlic, and set them all aside. Heat remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and brown for a few minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add oregano, beans, and stock, and stir gently to combine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to medium. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
• Salmoriglio: Peel and mince the garlic. Pick the oregano leaves from the stems and chop with the garlic. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add lemon zest to the herb-garlic mixture, and continue to chop until it's uniformly minced. Put mixture in a medium mixing bowl, and stir in lemon juice. Drizzle in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
• Beans, part 2: After 20 minutes, check the beans for doneness. If they're "mushy" enough for you, remove them from the heat; if not, continue cooking for a few additional minutes. Once the tomatoes have cooled, remove the skins and coarsely chop. Fold the tomatoes and any leftover juices into the beans. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
• Assembly: Pour beans into a large mixing bowl. Add toasted almonds, and toss to combine. Dress beans with salmoriglio to taste. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary, and serve to your guests.