Creamy Haricot Beans

I love the onslaught of food-related activities that come with Christmas. Prepping recipes, baking my best crispy spuds, hitting the Majestic aisles in quest of a new red, and then gobbling it all up around a table of foraged decorations with people I love. If there’s a time when we can let loose and dive head first into a pool of indulgence, it’s Christmas. And I am here for all of it.

Come the end of December though, I start to crave a lighter way of eating again. A natural shift takes place where a yearning for gut-friendly veggies, beans and pulses surpass any craving for yet another mince pie. I guess it’s the bodies way of saying ‘enough!’. Or perhaps it’s the desire for familiar routines again, backed with a healthy, diverse meal plan designed to get us through the cruelest month of the year - January.

Whether you’re with me on the food front or still firmly planted in spud land, this creamy white bean recipe will not disappoint. First win: it’s cheap and easy to make. Second: it tastes the absolute shizzle. And third: it’s super versatile. Pair it with a light salad, dip into it with sourdough, spoon it into crispy iceberg lettuce. Or, dare I say it - drizzle it over your finest festive crispy potatoes! However you choose to enjoy, I can guarantee you’ll be rewarded with smart and robust flavours that linger long after you’ve polished off the pan.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main):

• Knob of butter

• 1 onion, diced

• 5 cloves of garlic, 4 thinly sliced, 1 minced

• 1 can haricot beans (liquid included)

• 1 lemon - juice

• 1 tbsp tahini

• 1 large dollop of Greek yoghurt

• Salt and pepper

• Handful of Microgreens
  
  METHOD:

  1) Add the butter to a pan on medium heat. When melted and sizzling, add the onions and garlic and stir fry until translucent. Season well. 

  2) Add the haricot beans and all the liquid (this will add creaminess) with a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Turn the heat down and cook until the liquid has reduced slightly. Season. 

  3) In a separate bowl loosen the tahini with a little water, season and add 1 minced garlic clove. Combine, then stir into the butter beans. Grate a generous amount of parmesan into the pan and give everything another season. Take off the heat. Stir in the Greek yoghurt, top with microgreens, extra parmesan and serve.