Flageolets and Dandelion (Flageolets avec Pis-en-lit)

St. Patrick’s Day bonus post — let’s hear it for the eating of the green.

Nothing sings of spring like flageolets.  Even their name sounds like birdsong.  Basically immature kidney beans, flageolets have a mild, satisfying flavor and luscious, creamy texture. Pale and green, they look like candy and are chic as only the French can be. They even glam up greens.

Creamy beans and bright dandelion is a dish as eternal as spring itself. The French call dandelion pis-en-lit, which means  — ahem — piss the bed, thanks to dandelion’s natural diuretic properties. With crusty whole grain bread — or more elegant and French — toast points, it’s an irresistible appetizer or light lunch.

Dried flageolets take about 90 minutes to cook.  The greens, though, take only minutes, so hold off until just before you’re ready to eat.

Flageolets and Dandelion (Flageolets avec Pis-en-lit)

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Ingredients

  

For the beans:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided use
• 1 onion diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 stalk celery diced
• 1 pounds flageolets
• 4 to 5 cups water
• 1 small dried red pepper crumbled or a pinch dried red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh sage optional only, if you don’t have fresh sage on hand, don’t use the dry stuff, just skip it
• 2 teaspoons sherry or balsamic vinegar
• a small handful fresh thyme leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the greens:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 crushed red pepper or a good pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 big bunch dandelion greens or other bitter spring greens such as escarole mustard or turnip greens, broccoli rabe, whatever you like
• 1 handful fresh mint leaves chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instructions

 

For the beans:

• In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly and get a nice coating from the oil — about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and celery and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes, giving them a stir so everyone is happy together.
• Add the flageolets and pour in water to cover — 4 to 5 cups. Then drop in the crushed red pepper, bay leaf and optional sage. Stir and let mixture come to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low and let the beans simmer, with the pot lid on slightly ajar, to allow a little steam to escape and the bean broth to thicken slightly. Cook for about 90 minutes or until flageolets are tender.
• Set aside to cool slightly. Fish out the red pepper, bay leaf and sage, then puree the beans using an immersion blender or food processor for a minute or two, until the mixture is uniform. Blitz until quite creamy or leave it a little chunky, depending on person-al preference.
• Add with thyme leaves, balsamic vinegar and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Process briefly again to combine. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

For the greens:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. When it starts to shimmer with the heat, add the chopped garlic. Stir briefly, until it just starts to soften. Add the crushed red pepper or pepper flakes.
• Add chopped greens by the handful. Lower the heat to medium and stir gently, letting the greens wilt just a little, less than 5 minutes. When the greens are just tender but still bright green, remove from burner.
• Add chopped mint leaves, squeeze juice of 1 lemon over all and season with sea salt and fresh pepper to taste.
• Spoon the bean puree onto a plate or shallow bowl. Mound the greens on top. Scoop up with whole grain toasts.

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