White Beans with Broccoli Rabe and Lemon | Alison Roman

Active Time: 15 min, Total Time: 25 min, 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small lemon, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 anchovy fillets packed in oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 15-oz. cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed
¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add lemon, anchovies, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lemon is softened and brown in spots and anchovies fall apart, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli rabe; season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Add beans and ½ cup water to the pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and liquid is reduced by half (you still want it to be saucy), about 5 minutes. Mix in parsley and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan.

Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired, and top with more Parmesan.

Marcella’s Stewy White Beans (Brined not Soaked)

I’ve been soaking/cooking a pound of cannellini beans at a time and then making Marcella Hazan’s white bean soup from her Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, (a better choice for your favorite nonna).

It’s simple: sauté garlic in olive oil, add beans, cover the pot, and cook for 6 minutes. Uncover, add water (or stock), and cook for another 6 minutes. As the beans simmer, some of them break down and cloud the broth, turning it creamy.

For a bean soup, there is very little liquid, and in the preface to the recipe, Marcella notes why: “If one really loves beans, all one really wants in a bean soup is beans.” She adds only enough liquid, olive oil and garlic “to help the cannellini express the best of themselves.” This isn’t a brothy soup and Marcella actually notes, too, that it can thickened up and served as a side dish. I’ve been toasting hunks of bread, smothering them with the stewy beans, and shaving Parmigiano Reggiano over top. It is delicious. Yes, soaking the beans and cooking them takes time, but once you have them on hand, these beans take no time to materialize.

Bean soaking method: Cook’s Illustrated The Science of Good Cooking.

Stewy Beans adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (In the book, the recipe is called “White Bean Soup with Garlic and Parlsey”)

This is a half recipe, so if you wish to make more, double the quantities keeping the cup of water/stock the same. Marcella adds parsley (no sage) to her beans, so if that sounds nice, go for it — she adds the parsley at the very end. She also purées a half cup of the beans through a food mill. I find this step unnecessary because the beans break down on their own.

soaking and cooking the beans:

3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon salt
4 qts water
1 lb. dried white beans, such as cannellini or great northern
1 onion, peeled and halved through the core
a few sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf

for the stewy beans:

¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bundle sage, optional
3 cups cooked white beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water, chicken stock or vegetable stock, plus more as needed
bread for serving
grated Parmigiano Reggiano for serving

Soaking and cooking the beans: Dissolve the 3 tablespoons of salt into the water. Add the beans and soak for 8 to 24 hours. Drain, rinse, and place in a pot with the onion, thyme, garlic, bay leaf, and remaining teaspoon of salt. Cover with water by three inches. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook at the gentlest simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beans are cooked through. Let beans cool in their cooking liquid. Discard thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and onion. Store beans in their cooking liquid.

Making the stewed beans: Place the oil and chopped garlic (and sage bundle if using) in a soup pot and turn the heat to medium. Cook the garlic, stirring it until it becomes colored a very pale gold.

Add the beans, a pinch of salt (I added about ½ teaspoon kosher salt, but you may want less), and a few grindings of pepper. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes.

Uncover, add the cup of water or stock, and simmer for another 6 to 8 minutes or until some of the beans have broken down and turned the broth creamy. Taste, and correct for salt and pepper. Turn off the heat. Note: If the bean liquid thickens up too much, add water or stock as needed to thin it out. If you make this ahead and plan on reheating, you most likely will need to thin it with water or stock. Taste again, and correct seasoning as needed.

Place toasted bread into soup bowls. Ladle beans over top. Shave cheese over top.

Braised Beans with Burrata

soak lima dried beans all day in a pot. an hour before dinner, simmer in same pot and same liquid; add an onion, any fresh herb, bay leaf, lots of salt, and some hefty glugs of olive oil. taste after 40 minutes. serve beans in its own stock. top with burrata or pesto or both

I’ll tell you what I like the most about this dinner. It’s not just that the beans wind up so creamy and flavorful or that there’s beautiful burrata involved so how could it be anything but delicious, or that you can customize a bowl to please whoever is showing up at the table. (Not eating dairy? Skip the burrata. Not eating gluten? Skip the toast. Beans not enough for your meat-eater? Add cooked sausage.) It’s mostly because it reminds me that there is a silver lining to being home all day, staring at a screen and using every ounce of psychic energy to not check Twitter. I start my beans in the morning, and the ASMR rush I get from pouring my Rancho Gordo limas into a large pot is as energizing as the coffee I’m drinking while I do so. Then, all day long I swear to God I keep thinking of those beans. It just feels so satisfying to know they’re soaking, working, waiting for me to stop typing so they can say hi, how was your day?

About an hour before I want to eat dinner, I shut down my computer (hahaha) and start playing Stone Soup, artlessly tossing quartered (halved? whole?) onions, herbs and oil into the pot until, finally, turning on the heat and simmering. I don’t strain or rinse, I use the same pot, the same water. Total hands-on time all day long: Maybe 3 minutes? And in 45 minutes: Dinner.

Brothy Beans with Burrata

So, yeah, here’s the official recipe that wouldn’t make the best text, but once you get the hang of it, I encourage you to follow that shortcut formula above, so you can really have fun with it. Note: I imagine this can also be done in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker; just skip the pre-soaking and cook using the high-pressure setting for 25 minutes. (But know you won’t have your beans rooting for you all day that way.) I haven’t made them last-minute like this for a while (I’m always home!) so report back if you have notes on that method.
Makes 4 cups

16 ounces dried large lima beans (preferably good quality ones from a farmer’s market or Rancho Gordo)
½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1-2 dried bay leaves
8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
For serving: squeeze of fresh lemon juice, burrata, store-bought pesto, crusty bread

In the morning: place the lima beans in a Dutch oven or large pot, cover with water by about 2 inches, and let them sit for at least 6 hours and up to 8 to 10 hours. About an hour before dinner: Add more water to cover the beans by about 1½ inches. To the pot, add the onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, bay leaves, and thyme, and bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer, scraping off any foam from the surface as it cooks. Start checking for tenderness at about 40 minutes. You want them to still be holding their shape, but creamy on the inside. Once tender, do not drain the beans. Pick out the thyme sprigs (they will just be leafless twigs) and scoop beans into serving bowls with a little of the bean broth. Finish with another drizzle of olive oil and serve with any combination of the suggested toppings, making sure that burrata is one of them.

White Bean Soup with Summer Vegetables and Basil
In a large pot, make a batch of Brothy Beans, using basil instead of thyme (or my White Bean Soup in The Weekday Vegetarians) let cool, then add it to a blender (onion, herbs, bean juice and all) reserving one cup of cooked beans*. You might have to add a little water to get it to desired consistency.

Wipe down the pot with a paper towel, then place it over medium heat, adding 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 small yellow onion (chopped), 2-3 medium tomatoes (chopped), 2 small zucchini (chopped), and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to medium-high, then add about 1/3 cup white wine (or rosé) to the pot, stirring for another minute or two. Decrease the heat to medium and stir in pureed beans and reserved beans. Serve topped with Pecorino, shredded basil, and croutons (store-bought or homemade, see below)

Homemade Croutons: Add olive oil to a cast iron pan set over medium-high heat. Cut or tear crusty bread (such as a peasant or boule) into cubes and add to the pan, sprinkling with salt and garlic powder (optional). Cook until toasty and golden, tossing a few times as they go. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate or cutting board

Buttermilk White Beans With Eggs & Greens | Abra Berens

This recipe is written for four people for dinner, but it can easily be doubled or quadrupled to last throughout the week. The versatility of beans really kicks in when you have extra beans on hand. These buttermilk beans blend into a creamy dip with a couple of spins in a food processor. Or they can be lightly mashed and bound with a bit of flour to make fritters. Or they can be thinned with water or chicken stock to make a soup. Or add some roasted cherry tomatoes and spoon the whole thing on some thick toast. Plus, they freeze well, too.

This style of cooking the greens over high heat, then adding eggs, is my go-to one-pan method for a hearty breakfast. You can also cook the greens first, set them aside, wipe out the pan, and fry the eggs separately if that’s easier for you. —abraberens

Extra-virgin olive oil (or unsalted butter)
5 sprigs thyme
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
10 garlic cloves, minced
½ lb dried white beans (cannellini, gigante, or great northern)
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups buttermilk
1 bunch (10 leaves) hearty greens (such as kale, chard, or rapini), cut into ribbons
¼ tsp chile flakes (optional)
½ cup white wine
4 large eggs
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium to large saucepan, heat several glugs of olive oil or knobs of butter over medium heat. Add the thyme sprigs and fry until fragrant and the leaves have stopped making the popping sound, about 1 minute. Add the onion and half the garlic, then reduce the heat to low and sweat until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the beans and enough water to cover by 2 to 3 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the beans are completely tender and creamy, and the water is mostly absorbed. This should take 45 to 75 minutes, depending on the variety and age.

When they’re done, remove the beans from the heat and add the rest of the garlic, salt, and buttermilk. Stir to combine, cover, transfer to the fridge, then allow the beans to cool in the buttermilk—at least 30 minutes, but ideally overnight.

Before serving, remove the sprigs of thyme (don’t worry if some leaves break up into the broth) and gently warm the beans over low heat. When the beans are warm, taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.

In a large frying pan, heat a glug of olive oil over high heat until almost smoking, then add the greens and a big pinch of salt. Sautée the greens until they are bright in color and starting to soften. Add the white wine and chile flakes (if using) and allow the wine to evaporate by half.

Reduce the heat to medium and make four divots in the greens. Drizzle more olive oil into the greens and crack an egg into each divot. Season the eggs with salt and black pepper. Cover the pan with a lid to steam the eggs—5 to 6 minutes, checking frequently toward the end so they don’t overcook.

Dish the beans into serving bowls. Scoop a nest of greens and an egg from the pan and nestle on top of the beans. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil and serve on its own, or with a thick slice of toast.

Creamy White Beans With Herb Oil

Canned beans are transformed into a hearty, elegant main swirled with an herb oil that comes together in no time with the aid of a food processor. This particular oil includes chives, cilantro, and basil, but feel free to use what you have on hand. Parsley and mint would also work well. Serve with a chilled glass of red wine, a big green salad, and a loaf of crusty bread.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

For the herb oil

½ cup roughly chopped chives
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
½ cup tightly packed basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
Squeeze of lemon
Kosher salt, to taste

For the beans

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 (15-ounce) cans of white beans, like butter beans or cannellini, rinsed and drained
Kosher salt and black pepper
½ cup chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
Flaky salt, for serving (optional)

Make the oil: In a food processor, combine chives, cilantro, and basil, and pulse until finely chopped. Add olive oil, and pulse again until the mixture is silky and emulsified. Transfer to a small bowl, stir in lemon juice and salt to taste. Set aside.

Prepare the beans: In a 10-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until translucent, about 1 minute. Add beans to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have melded, about 2 to 3 minutes. With the back of a spoon or spatula, smash about ⅓ to ½ cup of the beans and stir until they are incorporated into the rest of the bean mixture. A good portion of the remaining beans should maintain their structure.

Add stock or water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook until the sauce becomes creamy and is reduced by about about half, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Smash additional beans and add a few more tablespoons of water, if needed, to reach the desired consistency and stir again to combine.

Transfer beans to a bowl and swirl with herb oil on top. Season with flaky salt, if desired.

Jenny’s Easiest White Bean Soup | Jenny Rosenstrach via Sarah Copeland

Serves 4

5 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Plus more for drizzling
½ small yellow onion, finely chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
pinch of dried red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, minced
4½ cups cooked cannellini beans, or 3 (15 oz) cans, rinsed and drained
2½ to 3 cups vegetable stock, store-bought or homemade (p. 232)
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
4 thick-cut slices crusty bread, such as ciabatta
4 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese (about 1 oz)
Kale pesto or your favorite store-bought pesto

In a stockpot set over low heat, combine 3 Tbsp of the olive oil, the onion, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion is golden and slightly caramelized, stirring often, for as long as you have patience, but a minimum of 5 to 7 minutes. (A lot of the depth in this soup will come from caramelizing the onion, so the longer, the better). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the beans and just enough stock to cover. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to an aggressive simmer until warmed through about 3 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, scoop out and set aside about 1 cup of the beans. Stir the vinegar into the pot, then purée the soup using a handheld immersion blender. Set back on the stovetop over low heat to keep warm.

Preheat the broiler. Place the bread slices on a sheet pan and broil on the top rack of the oven just until toasted but not quite golden, about 1½ minutes. (Watch carefully so they don’t burn). Flip them over, brush with the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, sprinkle each with 1 Tbsp parmesan, and broil until the cheese has melted, another 1½ minutes. Remove from the oven.

Serve the soup in large shallow bowls, placing one giant crouton in the middle of the soup along with a few reserved beans, the pesto, and the scallions and chives, if using. Drizzle with more olive oil, just before serving.

Braised White Beans and Greens With Parmesan | Lidey Heuck

Inspired by the Italian dish of sautéed puntarelle (an Italian variety of chicory) and white beans, this recipe makes a satisfying vegetarian main course or a hearty side dish for roast chicken or sausages. It opts for canned white beans, for the sake of weeknight convenience, and Swiss chard, which is much milder than puntarelle and easier to find in the U.S. Kale or escarole would also work well, if that’s what you’ve got. On that note, grated Pecorino Romano cheese gives the broth a more pungent element, but Parmesan will work in its place. Serve in shallow bowls with toasted country bread to mop up the garlicky broth. Yield: 4 servings

¼ cup olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and small-diced
1 small yellow onion, small-diced
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary or thyme
5 garlic cloves, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 large or 2 small bunches escarole, kale, or Swiss chard, stems removed (10 to 12 ounces)
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
3 Tbsp grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, plus more for serving
Toasted country bread, for serving

In a 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium. Add the fennel, onion, and rosemary, and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Begin adding handfuls of the greens, cooking and stirring until leaves wilt.

Add the white beans, broth, and ¼ tsp black pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer, mashing some of the beans with a wooden spoon, until the liquid has reduced and thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, then the mozzarella, if using, and Pecorino Romano. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and top with more Pecorino Romano. Serve with toasted bread and a dish of red pepper flakes on the side.

White Beans au Vin | Ledy Heuck

Yield: 4 servings, 45 min.

This recipe uses canned white beans in place of chicken for a quick and totally vegetarian riff on classic coq au vin. Mushrooms, red wine, Cognac and a splash of balsamic vinegar stirred in just before serving help this dish develop an impressive depth of flavor in just a short time. The quality of your vegetable broth makes a big difference here; use an organic or other good-quality brand for the best results.

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 medium carrots, diced into ½-inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
5 medium shallots, chopped (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt and black pepper
8 oz cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
5 thyme sprigs
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
½ cup dry red wine, such as Côtes du Rhône
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 (15-oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 Tbsp Cognac or brandy
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more to taste
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

In a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots and shallots, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the thyme sprigs and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the wine and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is almost completely evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the beans, broth, Cognac, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to low, partly cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.

Remove and discard the thyme sprigs. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and balsamic vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among shallow bowls and sprinkle with more parsley, if desired.

Beans Marbella | Tejal Rao and Alexa Weibel

This recipe started as a wisp of an idea in The Veggie, our weekly newsletter about vegetarian home cooking, inspired by that iconic dish chicken Marbella, made famous in “The Silver Palate Cookbook.” Instead of chicken, a pot of thin-skinned, creamy beans and their rich cooking liquid form the base, which is then added to a pan of fried garlic and reduced red wine with plenty of olive oil, prunes, and olives. They’re then topped with a simple roasted potato salad, dressed with vinegar-soaked shallots, capers, and parsley. I’d like to think of the salad component on top, dressed with vinegar-soaked shallots and capers, as completely flexible — one day it could be radicchio and roasted mushrooms instead of potatoes, and another it could be sliced radishes and snap peas, salad leaves, roasted baby artichokes, or a bunch of torn herbs. It’s not an exact replica of chicken Marbella, but it’s a beautiful and satisfying way to enjoy its familiar flavors — the tangy, briny sharpness of vinegar, capers, and olives, set against the sweetness of prunes. You can serve the dish as is, but it’s even more luxurious with some thickly sliced and toasted bread, brushed with olive oil and garlic. (Time: 2½ hours, 4-6 servings)

For the beans:

1 lb dried beans (preferably thin-skinned, creamy beans like cannellini or great Northern beans)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
3 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
½ cup halved Castelvetrano olives
½ cup roughly chopped prunes (or white raisins (sultanas), dried apricots or dried figs)
1 lb fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground pepper
1 large shallot, minced
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped capers
Torn fresh parsley leaves and tender stems

Start the beans: Rinse the beans then add them to a large, heavy pot and cover with enough cool water to generously immerse (about 12 cups). Add ¼ cup olive oil, the bay leaves, oregano, and once beans begin to soften, 1 teaspoon salt, then bring to a boil over high heat. Once the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Add extra water by the cupful as needed to keep the beans immersed. (Note: When adding additional water to the cooking beans, use boiling water so it doesn’t slow down the cooking process. Adding unheated water can also cause the beans to break open and fall apart.

Prepare the potatoes: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. On a large sheet pan, toss the potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil; season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, stirring once about halfway through, until the potatoes are golden-brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Finish the beans: In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant. As soon as the edges of the garlic start to color, add the red wine and simmer until the wine is reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beans (you should have about 7 cups) to the reduced wine in the skillet, then add about 2 cups of their cooking liquid — you want just enough to mostly cover the beans. Add the olives, prunes, and another ¼ cup olive oil, and simmer over medium, stirring occasionally, until the flavors meld and the liquid thickens slightly to form a sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Finish the potatoes: In a medium bowl, combine the minced shallot with the red wine vinegar. Add the potatoes, capers, and parsley, and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Tip the potatoes on top of the beans, drizzle with olive oil, and serve.

Miso Leeks with White Beans | Hetty Lui McKinnon

In this reinterpretation of the classic French dish leeks vinaigrette, tender braised leeks are bathed in a punchy miso vinaigrette, tossed with creamy white beans then served with an oozy soft egg for an easy, comforting midweek meal. Steady, gentle heat is the key to achieving the rich, jamlike leeks, coaxing out their sweetness while ensuring that they stay silky. The miso leeks can also be eaten in other ways — on a slice of toast, stirred through warm potatoes or pasta, or tossed with French lentils and peppery arugula for a simple salad. Make sure you use the whole leek. Many recipes recommend the white part only, but the green parts, while slightly tougher with a stronger flavor, can also be cooked and tenderized, especially in recipes where they are braised. The miso leeks improve over time and can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge.

Yield:4 servings (about 4 heaping cups)

For the leeks:

2 large leeks (about 1 pound), roots and wrinkled tops trimmed, stalks halved lengthwise, white and green parts thinly sliced
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 fresh thyme sprigs
4 eggs
2( 14-ounce) cans of white beans, such as cannellini or butter, drained
Handful of tarragon or parsley leaves, roughly chopped, to serve
Toasted bread (optional), for serving
4 teaspoons white miso paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the miso paste:

4 teaspoons white miso paste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, grated
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Step 1: Prepare the leeks: Place the sliced leeks into a colander and rinse them well, rubbing to loosen any dirt. Rinse them again and drain well. (There is no need to dry them, as the residual water is useful in cooking the leeks.)

Step 2: Heat a large Dutch oven or skillet on medium-high for 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, along with the leeks. Season generously with salt and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid cooks off and leeks start to stick to the pan, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high. Add the eggs and continue to cook over medium-high for 7 minutes. (Make sure you set a timer.) Set up an ice bath. Using a spider ladle or slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the water and immediately add them to the ice bath. Cool for 3 to 4 minutes, then peel and set aside.

Step 4: Make the vinaigrette: In a large bowl, whisk together the miso paste, Dijon mustard, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.

Step 5: Uncover the leeks — they will have reduced into a silky, jammy consistency. Discard the thyme, transfer the leeks to the bowl, and stir to coat in the miso vinaigrette.

Step 6: Stir in the white beans and leave to cool for a few minutes. Add about ¾ of the tarragon or parsley leaves and toss gently to combine.

Step 7: Divide the leeks and beans among bowls and drizzle each with olive oil. Top with a halved jammy egg and finish with the remaining herbs. Serve with toast, if desired.