Crispy, Creamy Butter Beans
Image by Robbie Guevarra
Crispy Creamy Butter Beans
There are dishes you make that work as a side, and there are side dishes that taste so good that you eat them as a main. This dish is just that. I fell in love with a similar dish at Fradei in Brooklyn. This version (Robbie’s version) is its cousin—related in flavor and similar in look yet different in composition. These beans are balanced in textures and flavor, with richness from the caramelized shallots cut with the sharpness from the horseradish. When I tested this recipe for the first time, I finished the entire serving.
While this is a bean dish, the hero of this dish is the crispy element. Fried shallots, crispy panko and fresh chives combine to make this topping. (think the breading of an onion ring.) The leftover shallot oil can be widely used in your kitchen to cook an egg, fry leftover rice, or add to a salad dressing.
(Serves 2-4)
1 small leek
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup fresh chives, thinly sliced
2 (-15.5-ounce) oz cans butter beans
½ cup white wine or vegetable stock
3 tbsp prepared horseradish
2 tbsp lemon zest
Begin your prep by removing the root of your leek and the outer, tougher leaves. Thinly slice from the bottom up to the dark green section and place them in a large bowl with cold water to remove the dirt from the interior.
Start your crispy topping by placing oil and shallots into a cold medium saute pan. Turn on your heat to medium and let both come up to temperature together and cook until shallots are crispy—about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate and lightly salt. Transfer the shallot oil to a heat-safe bowl.
Using the same saute pan, crisp your breadcrumbs by adding 4 tbsp shallot oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the panko and occasionally stir until golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a heat-safe bowl. Add chives and fried shallots, and season with salt. Using a dry paper towel, wipe any excess crumbs from your pan.
For the creamy beans, add 3 tbsp butter to the same pan and place over medium heat. Add the leeks to the pan once the butter has melted, and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir occasionally. Once the leeks are soft and cooked down (about 5 minutes), add your beans and cook for 3 minutes—season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and reduce your heat to medium-low, allowing the alcohol to cook for 3 minutes. From there, add the horseradish. Stir to incorporate and remove from the heat.
Assemble the dish. Gently spoon the beans into a shallow bowl. Top with crispy topping. Finish with freshly grated lemon zest.
Image by Robbie Guevarra. This photo was taken during the testing phase. No parm needed in the final recipe.
