White Bean & Olive Oil Poached Tuna with Parsley, Basil and Red Onion Salad
White Bean & Olive Oil Poached Tuna with Parsley, Basil and Red Onion Salad
Tuna
Ingredients:
4 cups cooked white beans, lightly drained (recipe follows)
1 recipe of Olive Oil Poached Tuna or 2 (6-oz.) cans olive-oil-packed tuna, lightly drained
1 generous tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 generous tablespoon chopped basil
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
Fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Lemons
Instructions:
Place beans in a large serving bowl and add tuna. Break up tuna with a wooden spoon. Scatter red onion and herbs over tuna; then drizzle with oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste and season generously with pepper.
Serve with plenty of crusty bread and tomatoes.
Tuscan-Style White Beans
Ingredients:
1 lb. great northern or cannellini beans
4 tbsp. fruity extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4–5 fresh sage leaves
3–4 whole black peppercorns
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Sort through beans, discarding any small stones; then rinse beans under cold running water. Put beans in a large earthenware casserole, cover with cold water, and set aside to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Drain beans; then add 12 cups cold water, 2 tbsp. of the oil, garlic, sage, and peppercorns. Cover casserole, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, about 1 hour. Season liberally to taste with salt, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until bean skins are tender and interiors are soft, about 1-2 hours more.
Remove from heat, set aside, and allow beans to cool in the cooking liquid. To serve, reheat beans in the liquid over medium-low heat, drain them, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle beans with remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil.