Cesares Cannellini Beans Recipes

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CANNELLINI BEANS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy bottom pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and the onions soften. Add the cannellini beans with their water and the chicken stock. Add more water to cover the beans by 3 inches. Add the bouquet garni or herbs on their stems with the kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam and discard. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook at a gentle simmer for about 2 hours. Add more water if needed to keep the beans submerged.
• Once the beans are cooked to your desired tenderness, remove them from the heat and discard the boquet garni (or herb stems). Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve immediately or at room temperature, and refrigerate the leftover beans in their cooking liquid for up to 1 week.

TUSCAN CANNELLINI BEANS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add pancetta; cook and stir until browned, about 3 minutes.
• Remove pancetta but leave grease in the pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Saute until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in white wine and bring to a boil while scraping up any browned bits from the pot with a wooden spoon. Boil until reduced by half, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add in cannellini beans, chicken stock, Parmesan cheese, cream, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring every so often to avoid burning, until the cheese and starch in the beans have thickened the liquid to a sauce-like consistency, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

CANNELLINI-BEAN PASTA WITH BEURRE BLANC

Steps:

• Add the beans and stock to a large pot, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, and let simmer for 20 minutes.
• While the beans cook, combine the wine, vinegar, shallot and butter in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan as the liquid reduces to keep it from burning. Turn off the heat, and set the beurre blanc aside.
• Stir the pasta into the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Stir in the beurre blanc, and season generously with salt and pepper. Serve with a little grated cheese on top.

CESARE'S CANNELLINI BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse beans thoroughly and transfer to a large stockpot. Add enough cold water to cover by at least 2 inches. Let stand 6 to 12 hours (refrigerate if air is too warm).
• Drain beans and return to stockpot with 16 cups water. Place sage, rosemary, and garlic in a 6-inch piece of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine to enclose and add to pot along with carrot, celery, and onion. Bring water to a low simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 30 minutes. Season with salt and continue cooking until tender, 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours more.
• Remove cheesecloth packet and vegetables, and drain.

SAUTEED CANNELLINI BEANS

Steps:

• In a medium saute pan, cook the bell peppers and onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine and allow to boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock, herbs de provence, and beans and simmer for 20 minutes. Pour into shallow bowls and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Serve with bread slices.