olive oil–braised beans

Alternate recipe title? Lyndsie’s Beans, because this recipe was 100 percent inspired by her. Lynds is my sister-in-law, and she’s also a trusted recipe adviser, always telling me to make this or that, to try a cuisine I’m not familiar with. Most important, she tells me whether something sounds delicious…or just crazy. One of her most recent requests was for a cold-weather recipe in which beans are the star of the show. I’m not going to lie, I was really skeptical about a dish of beans and beans only, but as I got cooking, I got excited. These beans slowly simmer down in olive oil with fresh herbs until they become creamy, but they stay brothy at the same time. I love to finish them with a shaving of Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice, which adds a hit of fresh flavor amid a whole lot of richness. Here is what is key, however: you MUST serve these beans with crusty, toasty sourdough bread. The bread works as your “spoon” for scooping up these guys. Trust me, it’s delicious and will satisfy all of your cravings. And if you don’t trust me—at least trust Lyndsie

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Step 1

1. In a Dutch oven, heat ⅓ cup of the olive oil with the rosemary and red pepper flakes over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the rosemary is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully transfer the oil to a small heatproof bowl. Pick out the rosemary. Remove the leaves from the stem, roughly chop the leaves, then add them back to the oil. Season the oil with salt.

Step 2

2. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the garlic and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk, chickpeas, and cannellini beans, including the liquid from both cans of beans. Add the sage and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced slightly, about 10 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to release their starches. Continue to simmer until creamy, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Step 4

Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, pick out the garlic cloves, mash them with a fork, and stir them back into the beans.

Step 5

4. Spoon the beans into bowls and drizzle the rosemary oil on top.

Step 6

Sprinkle with the Parmesan, stir in the lemon juice, and then serve with crusty bread alongside