Recipe: Tuscan White Beans with Olive Oil

Tuscan White Beans With Olive Oil
Yield: 4 Servings
Recipe by: Michael Lomonaco

1 lb dried great northern, navy, pea or other white beans
2 qt chicken stock
1 ts salt
1/3 c olive oil
2 tb chopped garlic
1/4 c chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
2 tb chopped fresh thyme
1/2 ts dried red pepper flakes
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sort the beans to make sure they are free of stones or other debris. Rinse, then cover with cold water, refrigerate, and soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans, place them in a large pot, and cover with the stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the beans for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until they are tender. Add 1 teaspoon of salt in the final 15 minutes of cooking. The addition of salt earlier in the cooking process will result in tough beans.

Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add all the remaining seasoning and other ingredients to the warm beans in the bowl and toss together. Adjust the salt and a dd freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve warm or chilled.