Warm White Bean Salad with Fragrant Garlic and Rosemary

Warm White Bean Salad with Fragrant Garlic and Rosemary

Copyright: The Spledid Table's How to Eat Supper

Topping:

• 1/2 slice coarse whole-grain bread, coarse ground in a food processor (2 generous tablespoons crumbs)
• 3 tablespoons fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Generous 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Salad:

• 5 large garlic cloves crushed with 1/2 teaspoon salt and coarse chopped
• 1/4 cup good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tight-packed tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, coarse chopped
• Two 15-ounce cans organic white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
• 1 large handful mixed salad greens (frisee andromaine, spring mix, or a blend of baby greens)
• Additional salt and fresh-ground black pepper

1. In a 12-inch skillet or saute pan over medium heat, toaste the bread crumbs until lightly browned, stirring often. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl to cool. When cooled, stir in the Parmigiano and pepper. Set aside.

2. In the same pan, slowly warm the garlic in the olive oil over low heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the rosemary, blending for another minute or so, taking care not to burn the garlic. It should be very fragrant and just beginning to soften.

3. Immediately add the beans and fold them in very gently. Turn the heat to medium. Heat the beans through, about 3 minutes, occasionally lifting and turning them as they heat, as stirring will turn them to mush. Add the greens and gently move them around in the pan until they are slightly wilted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Turn into a serving bowl, top with the bread-crumb mixture, and season with salt and pepper.