White Beans with Grilled Peppers, Rosemary and Oregano

I recently made this dish for a wedding I catered, and as I have been known to do I included something on a menu that I hadn’t exactly done before but it sounded like a good combination of ingredients.  Fortunately for everyone this assumption turned out to be true…I have never before seen a party eat beans with such gusto!

A recipe was requested so this is an attempt to recreate the magic.

For the wedding I used a medley of local bell and roasting peppers.  Here I used Italian roasting peppers—they’re sweet with loads of flavor, and the skins are thin enough to leave on after roasting.

Slice the peppers in half and remove the stem, then toss in oil and salt.  You can also grill them whole but I think this method gives more of a grilled flavor.

The autumn afternoon sun was blindingly bright.

Flip the peppers when they begin to char.  As they cook they become soft and pliable and easily fall between the grates, it helps to line them perpendicular to the grill at this point.

For the wedding I roasted the onions in the oven, but since the grill was hot and the afternoon was lovely it seemed a perfect time to grill them too.

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Fresh oregano and rosemary.  The photo says it all…

Buon appetito!

White Beans with Grilled Peppers, Rosemary and Oregano

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours for the beans, 45 minutes for the peppers and onions, 45-60 minutes for reheating

The Beans

Cook:

2 cups dry navy beans or cannellini beans, or  2 x 28 oz. cans of cooked beans, drained

(I used mostly navy beans since they hold their shape better, but cannellini are creamy and delicious)

These can be prepped up to 2 days ahead, or frozen.

The Peppers

Prepare a grill.

Cut in half, remove the core of:

4-7 peppers—Sweet Bell, Banana or Italian Roasting (you’ll need 1 1/2 cups roasted peppers and they shrink to about one third the raw amount)

Toss in a large bowl with:

Olive Oil

Salt

Freshly ground Black Pepper

Grill the peppers on both sides, either directly on the grill grate or in a vegetable basket.  

Remove from grill, let cool, and slice the cooked peppers into narrow strips. 

The Onions

Slice into strips:

2 medium Onions

Toss in a large bowl with:

Olive Oil

Salt

Freshly ground Black Pepper

I roasted the onions in the oven on a cookie sheet, but they could also be grilled in a vegetable basket on the grill.  

The Dish

Stir together in a casserole dish:

5 cups cooked White Beans

1  1/2 cups Roasted Peppers, sliced

1 cup Roasted Onions, sliced

2 Tablespoon Fresh Oregano, chopped

2 teaspoons Fresh Rosemary, chopped

2 1/2 teaspoons fresh Lemon Juice

1 cup Water

Sea Salt—to taste—1- 2 teaspoons, it depends on if the beans were salted.

Let sit for an hour to let the flavors meld, then taste and adjust. 

Cover tightly.  This can be stored for a day. 

Heat covered in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until hot.

Condiment Suggestions:

• Parsley
• Feta Cheese
• Hot peppers
• Olives

A Warren Mackenzie bowl, a Frank Wright spoon and a silk scarf by Patsy Martinson…it’s a beautiful combination.

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