Italian White Bean Salad

with crispy shallot & fresh Parmesan cheese

I grew up on Cannellini beans. Coming from an Italian American family, they were a major staple in my mom’s pantry year round. As a kid I despised them, probably because she would force feed my brothers, sister and me them, but by the time my teens came around I saw the light and realized that they were quite the “queen bee” of all beans.

Cannellini beans pack a lot of punch in the flavor department and are probably my favorite bean out there (not quite sure what I was thinking as a kid). They are a creamy white bean that are mildly nutty in taste and don’t have that typical mush of a bean texture. They can be pureed to make fantastic dips or kept whole. They are the simplest of ingredients that add that extra oomph to most dishes, especially salads or pasta dishes.

This is probably one of the simplest more rustic salads out there that I make, but one of the most delicious. Arugula lettuce has a natural peppery taste to it and is extremely tender allowing it to nicely play off of the sweet and tangy flavors of the fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, olives, crispy shallots, and sun-dried tomatoes. The crisp bite of red onion offset with the crunchy and tart lemon juice rounds out the dish with a freshness that melds with the creamy beans and other ingredients creating a major party in your mouth. It not only packs a ton of protein but will make an excellent salad for a casual picnic or dinner party. So eat up people and just remember that these “musical fruits” will make any dinner guest happy.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 – 1 1/2 c. Fresh Baby Arugula
• 1 – 1 1/2 c. Fresh Baby Kale
• 1 small container medium sized Green Olives, pitted and halved (I get my from a the deli counter)
• 1 small container of Sun-Dried Tomatoes, cut into medium sized strips (Deli Counter)
• 1/2 c. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 1/2 c. Red Onion, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• Parmesan Cheese, shaved
• 1 c. Canola Oil
• About 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Prepare the crispy shallots by heating the canola oil in a small deep pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallots and fry until crispy and lightly browned. Remove to a paper towel and set aside.
2. Prepare the salad: In a bowl add the sliced sun-dried tomatoes, halved green olives, and beans. There is already quite a lot of flavor from these ingredients since I usually get them from the deli counter, so allow them to marinade together for a little. Set aside.
3. On a large salad platter lay out the baby kale and arugula (this is meant to be a rustic salad so you don’t have to make it perfect). With a spoon or your hands, sprinkle the olives, sun-dried tomato and bean mixture over the lettuce. Add the chopped basil and red onion.
4. Drizzle the olive oil and lemon juice over the top (there is already some oil in the salad from the deli counter items, so you kind of just want to coat the lettuce lightly). Sprinkle with salt and pepper for taste and then top with the crispy shallots and shaved Parmesan cheese.
5. Serve family style!