White Beans on Toast

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups dried great Northern beans (may substitute navy, cannellini, or other white

    beans), soaked overnight and drained*

    Water

  • 1 onion, peeled and studded with 12 whole cloves

  • 2 large carrots

  • 1 (3 by 5-inch) strip kombu (dried seaweed)

  • 3 bay leaves

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 large bunch of broccoli rabe, cut into 1-inch pieces (or substitute 3 to 4 cups broccolini or broccoli florets or roughly chopped Tuscan kale)

  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 thick slices rustic sourdough bread, lightly toasted

  • 1 tablespoon chile oil (optional)

  • ¼ cup vegan or traditional Parmesan, grated or shaved

Instructions:

  • Make sure to soak your beans overnight (or at least 4 hours), covered in room temperature water.

  • Combine the beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add the onion, carrots, kombu, and bay leaves, turn the heat to medium-high, and bring the beans to a boil. Let then boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat so the beans are at a bare simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are very tender, about 1 hour. (Alternatively, you can cook the beans, water, and aromatic vegetables in a stovetop or electric pressure cooker: Bring to high pressure and cook for 17 minutes if using a stovetop model or 20 minutes for electric. Let the pressure release naturally, then open.)

  • Discard the onion, carrots, kombu, and bay leaves and strain the beans, reserving all of the cooking liquid.

  • In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Stir in the broccoli rabe and sauté until very tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the drained beans, 1 ½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid, and the salt. Cook just until the beans are hot and the flavors have melded, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the pepper, taste, and add more salt if needed. (Here we added about ¾ teaspoon extra salt until the flavor popped.)

  • Divide the toast among shallow serving bowls. Drizzle with the chile oil, if desired, and spoon the bean mixture and broth on top of the toast (use the broth as a sauce to flavor the toast). Finish with the Parm and serve hot.