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Dinner Tonight: Creamiest White Beans with Leeks

Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, January 28, 2008 at 4:15 PM

That cheeky title could come from no one else but Jamie Oliver—too bad he buried the recipe. His new cookbook, Cook with Jamie, is stocked full of great looking recipes, a few of which we’ve already tried for this column. But he hides this dish underneath a steak, giving it second billing to the attention hogging beef. I’d like to change that. Sure, I did cook up a steak, but this little bean dish is worthy of its own post.

Most of the creaminess comes from the crème fraîche, which I was able to pick up at my local cheese monger. It really does help, but it isn’t the only integral part. The real secret to dish would be the leeks and wine. The sweet tang of the leeks balances out the creaminess of the rest of the dish, while the wine adds a whole layer of depth. It all makes the dish less heavy and more balanced. This also happens to be the first bean dish the fiancée has actually enjoyed. I’d like to thank Mister Oliver for that one.

Creamiest White Beans and Leaks

- makes 2-3 servings -

Ingredients

1 leek, washed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
3 ounces white wine or vermouth
1 can white beans, drained
Small handful parsley, chopped
1/2 tablespoon crème fraîche
Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. Pour oil and butter into a saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the leek, thyme, and garlic and cook until soft, about 20 minutes.

2. Crank the heat to high, and pour in the wine or vermouth. When it comes to a boil, add the beans and turn heat to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat, toss in the chopped parsley and the creme fraiche, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

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Tags: beans, Dinner Ronight, Jamie Oliver, vegetarian

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