I’m always on the lookout for food ideas that seem to fit easily into the Mediterranean type of diet, and this Cannellini Bean Recipe (or white kidney beans) with Broccoli Rabe and Lemon fits the bill.
I stole (literally) this from the December issue of Bon Appetite magazine. I was in orthodontist office waiting for my son’s visit to end when I stumbled upon this recipe. With my back turned to the receptionist, I tore the page our of the magazine. I was feeling pretty guilty when I noticed further down the issue many other recipes had met up with a similar fate.
This recipe has a lot of good this going for it. First off it fits into the healthy part of a Mediterranean Diet. One look at the ingredients and pretty much all the major components are good food choices. Secondly it falls into the quick and easy category and should take no more than 25 minutes from start to finish.
White Cannellini beans (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Bon Appetite calls this Cannellini Bean Recipe a side dish that pairs well with roasted chicken or pork tenderloin. That certainly sounds like a complete meal, but I believe it can stand up on its own if you are looking for something quick and healthy during the week. For those of you who don’t like the bitterness of Broccoli Rabe, regular Broccoli is good substitute.
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small lemon, very thinly sliced with seeds removed
- 2 anchovy fillets packed in oil
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ bunch of broccoli rabe, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 15-oz cans of cannellini beans
- ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
- 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add lemon, anchovies, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally the lemon is softened and brown in spots and the anchovies fall apart - about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe; season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally until bright green and crisp-tender, another 5 minutes.
- Add the beans and a ½ cup of water to the pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring until flavors have melded and liquid is reduce by half. You want this dish to be saucy so after another 5 minutes mix in the parsley and Parmesan cheese.
- Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with red pepper flakes a
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