A hearty, fatty side or snack.
Winter Beans Conserva
Chef Michael Patria
2 quarts
8 hours
2 hours 30 minutes
Italian
Sides
Conserva (plural: conservas) comes from the Spanish and Portuguese verb conservar, to conserve. Think of this as an oil-based bean salad that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Ingredients
For the Beans
- 500g beans
- 2 liters water (68 oz)
- 1 large carrot, peeled
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 onion
- 2 tbsp salt
For the Conserva
- 4 cups (900g) olive oil
- 2 cups (450g) white wine vinegar
- 3 (70g) shallots
- 12 cloves (40g) garlic
- 2 sprigs (14g) rosemary
- 2 sprigs (8g) thyme
- 2 tbsp (10g) red chili flakes
- 2 tsp (3g) smoked paprika
- 2 tsp (4g) coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp (5g) fennel seeds
- 4 tbsp (15g) kosher salt
Directions
- Soak beans overnight in water to hydrate.
- Quarter the onion and remove the peel. Cut the carrot and celery into 4” pieces.
- Starting from cold water, add 2 tbsp salt. Bring beans up to a simmer.
- Simmer beans for 2 hours, or until tender.
- Remove beans from heat and add the carrot, onion, and celery and allow beans to cool in their liquid.
- Strain and reserve beans.
- Toast the coriander and fennel seeds in a medium pot.
- Meanwhile, thinly slice shallots and garlic, using a Japanese mandoline if available.
- Add olive oil to the pot and heat until warm.
- Add remaining conserva ingredients, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Once cool, in a large bowl, combine the reserved beans from above with the conserva mixture and toss.
- Serve with crusty bread or keep in the refrigerator, up to 1 week.