Celery With Creamy White Beans Food

TUSCAN WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook 2 smashed garlic cloves and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 1 minute. Add 1 chopped plum tomato and 1 sprig rosemary and cook 2 minutes. Add 2 cans drained, rinsed cannellini beans and cook, partially smashing the beans with a spoon, 5 minutes. Remove the rosemary. Stir in 1/2 cup water and some chopped parsley; season with salt. Sprinkle with parmesan and broil until golden. Drizzle with olive oil.

CREAMY BRAISED WHITE BEANS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, cut side down, and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the milk, chickpeas and their liquid, white beans, thyme and nutmeg and stir to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper. When the mixture begins to bubble around the edges of the pan (you don't want it to come to a full boil), reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened and tastes great to you, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Use a fork to remove the garlic halves from the beans. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then use the fork to remove the cloves from the skins. Spread the cloves on bread or toast.
• If you would like the beans to be more stew-like, mash some of the beans using a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Serve beans and milk in bowls. Garnish as you wish, with a drizzle of oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a pinch of Aleppo pepper and black pepper. Serve with the bread alongside for dipping.

WHITE BEANS WITH CELERY

Steps:

• Drain the beans, and combine in a large saucepan with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, add salt to taste, cover and simmer until the beans are just tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Do not let the beans boil hard or they'll fall apart before they're cooked through.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet, and add the celery and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until it just begins to soften, about three minutes, and add the garlic. Stir together for a minute, until the garlic is fragrant, and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the beans over a bowl. Place in a large baking dish, preferably earthenware, and toss with the celery and garlic, the remaining olive oil and the tomato sauce or diluted tomato paste. Add enough of the drained broth to cover by an inch, and stir in the remaining olive oil. Cover the dish tightly with foil, and place in the oven. Bake one hour, or until the beans are soft and creamy.
• Uncover the beans, stir, and add salt and pepper to taste. Add a tablespoon or 2 of lemon juice, or more if desired, and adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot, warm or room temperature, with a little more olive oil drizzled over the top if desired.

CREAMY WHITE BEAN AND SEAWEED STEW WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon salt and sauté until softened and lightly golden at the edges, 7 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, diced fennel and garlic and sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Drain soaked beans and add to pot along with 2 quarts cold water, kombu, thyme sprigs and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Lower heat, partially cover the pot and simmer gently until the beans are done, 1 to 2 hours. If the beans start to dry out before they are cooked, add a little hot water to the pot, or if they seem too soupy, remove the lid during the last half-hour.
• When beans are cooked, discard kombu and thyme sprigs. If you have an immersion blender, stick it in the pot and give it two or three pulses to create a creamy broth. Most of the beans should still be whole. Or, scoop out 1 cup of beans, purée them in a food processor or blender, and stir them back into the pot.
• Stir kelp into the pot and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.
• If you have fennel fronds, chop enough to make 2 tablespoons and stir into the pot. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top generously with Parmesan, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with toast.