This is one of those Mediterranean-style dishes that are perfect served hot, at room temperature, or cold – wonderfully versatile for entertaining. Throwing the tomato and basil in at the end, off the heat, is the secret to the success of this feat of flavor and texture. If at all possible, use freshly picked, vine-ripened tomatoes and very fresh, verdant basil; even the most pedestrian can of cannellini beans will magically come to life under the touch of these two ingredients alone.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon plus1/4 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced red onion
- 2 cloves peeled garlic
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, with liquid
- 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed uniformly to about 6 inches in length
- 1 medium-size ripe tomato, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons flax oil
- 1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a large pot of water. Add 1 tablespoon of the salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, stirring well.
- After 1 to 2 minutes, when the onion juices begin to flow, squeeze the garlic through a garlic press directly into the pan. Add the cannellini beans and their liquid along with the vinegar, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir thoroughly but gently, to avoid crushing any of the beans. Bring to a simmer, and then decrease the heat to very low and cover. Continue to cook, stirring often, while you prepare the asparagus.
- When the pot of water comes to a rolling boil, drop in the whole asparagus spears and stir once. Depending on the thickness of the asparagus, they should be just tender-crisp in about 1 minute. When they are done to your satisfaction, drain well.
- Remove the beans from the heat and stir in the tomato, basil, and flax oil.
- Divide the asparagus among 4 plates. Top with the bean mixture. Garnish with the chives, if using. Serve at once.
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