Braised Romano Beans With Salmoriglio Recipes

GRANDMA MINNIE'S CARROT RING

Steps:

• Peel the carrots. Use the coarse holes on a box grater to grate them; place them in a large bowl.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar together. Add the egg, water, and grated carrots, and continue mixing on medium to incorporate. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt; mix on medium-low until the batter comes together. Remove from the mixer and set aside.
• Butter a 9½-inch Savarin ring mold. Spread the batter evenly in the buttered mold; wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the carrot ring from the refrigerator and let it temper for 30 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove the carrot ring from the oven and allow it cool for a few minutes.
• After the carrot ring has cooled slightly, unmold it onto a large, circular platter. Serve with vegetables mounded in the center, if you wish.

MAPLE-BRAISED BEETS WITH HAZELNUT RELISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Use a peeler to peel each beet; trim the top and bottom, and cut into 3-4 slices, approximately ¾-inch wide. In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add ⅓ of the beets in a single layer. Sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the beets have browned on the first side, about 1-2 minutes. Flip the beets and brown the other side, then remove and place in a baking dish in a single layer. Wipe out the pan and repeat the process two more times.
• Once all the beets are in the baking dish, pour maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil over the beets. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until tender, 45-60 minutes. Meanwhile, make the Hazelnut Relish.
• Hazelnut Relish, part 1: Cut the shallot in half through the root and discard the peel. Make vertical cuts, followed by horizontal cuts, without cutting through the root; finely dice. Place the diced shallot in a bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar and a pinch of salt to macerate (marinating the raw flavor out of the shallot), 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the hazelnuts.
• Hazelnut Relish, part 2: Toast the hazelnuts in a 350 F oven until fragrant, 8-10 minutes. Wrap warm hazelnuts in a kitchen towel, then rub with force until skins fall off. (Don't worry about skins that don't come off; they can stay.) Remove hazelnuts from towel and roughly chop. Set aside. Pick the leaves from the parsley and tarragon. Roll into a bundle; rock a knife back and forth through the bundle to roughly chop leaves. Set aside.
• After 45 minutes, remove beets from the oven; cool for 5-10 minutes. Check for doneness by poking them with a small knife; if it pierces the beets with little resistance, they're done. Remove beets from the braising liquid and transfer to a platter. Set aside. Pour the braising liquid into a pan. Over high heat, reduce to about ¼ of the original amount, 8-10 minutes; stay nearby, as the maple syrup can burn! When the liquid has reduced and thickened, remove pan from heat and spoon the syrup over the beets. While the beets finish cooling, occasionally toss them to ensure an even distribution of syrup. Allow the beets to absorb flavor until you're ready to assemble the dish.
• Hazelnut Relish, part 3: To the shallot-vinegar mixture, add the olive oil, hazelnuts, and herbs; stir to combine. Assembly: Arrange beets on a serving platter and top with ricotta. Sprinkle Hazelnut Relish all over the beets and serve.

STEWED ROMANO BEANS WITH TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a wide, lidded skillet or Dutch oven and add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook gently without browning, stirring often, until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for another minute, until fragrant.
• Stir in romano beans, tomatoes and half the dill. Add 1/2 cup water, bring to a simmer, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until beans are tender. Stir in remaining dill and olive oil and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Serve hot, warm or room temperature, with feta sprinkled over the top. If serving as a main dish, serve over cooked grains such as bulgur, quinoa, polenta or brown rice, or toss with pasta.

BRAISED WHITE BEANS AND GREENS WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• In a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel, onion and rosemary, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Begin adding handfuls of the greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt.
• Add the white beans, broth and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the mozzarella, if using, and Pecorino Romano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and top with more Pecorino Romano. Serve with toasted bread and a dish of red-pepper flakes on the side.