Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio
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Gigante Beans With Seaweed Salmoriglio

👤 6 servings medium 🌍 Mediterranean epicurious.com ↗

Andrew Zimmern presents this innovative Mediterranean dish that reimagines the classic salmoriglio sauce by using kelp as its umami-rich base. Creamy gigante beans are simmered with aromatic vegetables and seaweed, then finished with a vibrant herb-forward salmoriglio drizzled generously over the top. This elegant yet approachable dish showcases how seaweed can elevate traditional Mediterranean flavors.

VeganVegetarian

Ingredients

  • 0.750 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1.000 fennel bulb
  • 3.000 celery stalks
  • 3.000 carrots
  • 1.000 onion
  • 4.000 garlic cloves
  • 1.000 lb dried gigante or cannellini beans
  • 2.000 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 0.500 oz dried kelp
  • 2.000 bay leaves
  • salt
  • 0.500 tsp dried oregano leaves
  • 1.000 cup parsley
  • 0.250 cup mint
  • 1.000 garlic clove
  • 1.000 lemon
  • 0.500 oz dried kelp
  • 1.000 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1.000 tsp red chile flakes
  • 0.250 cup bean cooking liquid

Instructions

  1. Heat 0.75 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottom stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the fennel bulb, celery stalks, carrots, onion, and garlic cloves, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to brown.
  2. Add the soaked and drained beans, fennel seeds, dried kelp or dulse flakes, bay leaves, and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are soft but not falling apart, 1.5-2 hours.
  3. Season with salt and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Discard the bay leaves.
  4. Skim off any oil from the surface and remove the kelp, reserving both for the Seaweed Salmoriglio.
  5. Combine the dried oregano, parsley, mint, grated garlic, lemon zest and juice, rehydrated chopped kelp, and bean cooking liquid in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms a chunky paste. If you prefer a smoother texture, continue to process until it's to your liking.
  6. Remove the herb paste to a bowl and whisk in 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil (use the oil skimmed from the beans and add more oil as needed to make 1 cup). Season with salt and red chile flakes.
  7. Serve the beans at room temperature or warm with the Seaweed Salmoriglio drizzled over the top.

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