Continuing with my commitment to think up delicious vegetarian meals in honor of Earth Day (read my post about Earth Day and the Pan Roasted Asparagus with Garlic Chips and Parmesan that I made!) I had a wonderful brainstorm that lead me to my latest recipe: Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad with parsley pesto and red pepper flakes. This recipe is super easy – after all it is a salad, how complicated could it be? And in being a salad, I know what you’re thinking: it’s probably not that tasty, it’s probably not very filling, it probably tastes just like all the other salads out there. But here’s the thing: it’s is filling, and it doesn’t taste like every other salad out there. The beans make it super satisfying (all that vegetarian protein!) and the parsley pesto dressing harkens this salad more to a pasta dish than an actual salad. It’s perfect as the weather gets warmer: great as a side for at a BBQ, or as a light dinner to eat out on your balcony or patio (as I did last night). In fact the inspiration for this dish comes from warm summer evenings spent eating and enjoying company outside in one of my favorite place in the world places in the world.
Left: The house we rented in Amalfi, Italy. Right: Our view of the ocean from our cliffside oasis.
As Italian Americans, my family still has roots in Italy; mainly my dad’s cousin Christine and her husband Nicola. Once every couple of years, a large group of us (I’m talking 20+ people) will take a trip there not only to visit them, but to enjoy the sights and sounds of one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The last trip we took there was in the summer of 2012 (although my family is going again this spring and I am super jealous that I will not be joining them) and for this trip, we spent about a week with Christine in the tiny little town in the mountains where my great-grandfather was born. While it has all the amenities that we would expect as Americans (internet, cable) there are still those little things that, after growing up in New York City, it’s hard to even remember still exist in this world – things that remind us that not everywhere do people drive cars or take subways or work in office buildings. In some parts of the world, people still make their living off the land, or from taking care of a herd of goats.
A man leads his herd of goats down the road in front of Christine’s house.
After our time in our ancestor’s home town, we spent another week in the most gorgeous house right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the ocean in Amalfi. Our week here was spent hanging out by the pool, hiking up and down to the beach, exploring charming towns along the coast, and enjoying meals (and each other’s company) on our outdoor patio every evening. Our cousin Christine came and stayed with us a few of those warm and breezy summer nights, and she would always make this incredible cannellini bean salad that was only three ingredients: Cannelini beans, really good olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Sometimes we would shake things up a bit sometimes by adding parsley, or some minced red onion, but even with just three simple ingredients and some time to chill and rest in the fridge, this bean salad was perfect as a snack on a piece of crusty bread, a side to any dish, or even as a light lunch or dinner.
Left: The antipasto for one of our bigger meals. Right: A group of us sit chatting around the table.
With the weather finally warming up here in New York, I was reminded of the warm glow of the sun setting and the breeze blowing off the ocean in Amalfi. I decided to whip up a bit of a twist on Christine’s traditional Cannelini bean salad: instead of bits of minced parsley, I blended up a bunch of parsley with a little garlic, basil, and lemon juice to create a pesto dressing that would coat the salad more evenly. I also decided to use half cannellini bean and half kale instead of all beans, since I am still trying to keep away from carbs a bit and cutting out some of the beans drastically cuts back on the carbs in this dish. I cut the Kale up into pieces so they were around the same size as the beans, and then poured the dressing onto it and used my hands to massage the dressing in (this is a very important part!). Raw kale has a tendency to be a bit tough, but the acid from the lemon juice in the dressing and the act of massaging it into the leaves helps to start to break down the fibers in the kale. Then, I thoroughly rinsed my beans and added them to the kale with a bit more of the pesto dressing and a hearty pinch of red pepper flakes.
Ok, so the salad us almost done, but here’s the most important part: you want to let this salad chill out for a while! The longer you let it rest in the fridge, the more the kale will start to break down to not be so tough, and the more all of the flavors will come together. I was pretty hungry and impatient, so I only let it rest for about 30 minutes before I chowed down, and it was still really delicious. But a few hours later I went back for a little snack and it was even better! This salad can stay in your fridge with the dressing on it (unlike most salads which get unbelievably soggy) for up to a few days.
I hope that this salad helps remind you of those warm summer nights spent with great food and even better company, as it did for me.
- 1 can cannellini or white beans
- 3 cups of kale
- 1 small clove of garlic
- 1 bunch of parsley
- ½ of basil Juice of ½ lemon (about a tablespoon)
- ¼ cup good high quality olive oil
- dash of red pepper flakes to taste
- salt and pepper
- For the dressing: In the bowl of a food processor or blender, pulse garlic until completely pulverized. Add parsley, basil, lemon juice and salt to taste and blend on high. Stream in olive oil (while food processor or blender is on) until dressing is thinned out and flows easily (it should be slightly thinner than a pesto). Set dressing aside.
- Cut kale into bite size pieces, around the same size as the beans. Add dressing to taste (I used around 3 tablespoons) to kale and use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale pieces.
- Rinse the beans well and shake off excess water. Add the beans into the kale mixture. Add a dash of red pepper flakes to taste and more dressing if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Allow the salad to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes up to 2 days.
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