INSALATA DI
RADICCHIO
E FAGIOLI

RADICCHIO TARDIVO & BEAN SALAD

A happy marriage, the crunch of the radicchio works wonderfully with Lamon or borlotti beans, which can also be served as a cold or warm purée! Just add a drizzle of a delicate olive oil (from Lake Garda), freshly ground black pepper, a dash of good red wine vinegar and … happiness is yours!

SERVES 6 PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 2 HOURS SOAKING TIME: 8 HOURS

300 g (10¹/₂ oz) dried Lamon or borlotti beans, or fresh beans in their pods

1 onion

1 bay leaf

1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), or kombu seaweed

600 g (1 lb 5 oz) radicchio tardivo, or other red radicchio, inside leaves only, separated

3 tablespoons mild olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, or good balsamic vinegar

The night before, soak the dried beans in water. In the morning, discard the leftover water and pour the beans into a saucepan. Cover them with fresh cold water, add the whole peeled onion, bay leaf and bicarbonate of soda, or better still some kombu seaweed, to make them more digestible. Cook them on a very gentle simmer for about 2 hours: they should be tender. Season with salt. Wash the radicchio, combine with the beans. Dress with olive oil and vinegar, and salt and pepper.

VARIATIONS

You can put some of the beans through a food mill to remove their skins, thin out the resulting purée with a little of the cooking water and spoon it into the bottom of the serving dish (it will be better warm).

Dress the beans with peverada sauces.