Ingredients
1 baguette, sliced thinly along the bias
¼ cup olive oil, divided
2 T unsalted butter, divided
½ white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
¾ cup canned navy beans, rinsed and drained
2 tomatoes, cored and cubed
2 T balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper
Olive oil for drizzling
Method
1. For the bread, slice the baguette on the diagonal into thin slices (about 12 for a baguette). In a large sauté pan, heat 1 T of the olive oil and 1 T of the unsalted butter on medium heat. Place the bread slices in the pan and cook on medium high heat until sizzling and golden. Just before flipping the bread, add an additional tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the pan. Flip the bread and cook second side until golden.
2. For the topping, cook the onions and 2 T of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium sauté pan until the onions are very soft, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, basil and oregano and cook another minute or two, until fragrant. Add the beans and continue cooking for another five minutes on low heat and season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and turn off the heat, allowing tomatoes just to take on the warmth of the pan without cooking. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar into the pan and gently stir.
3. To serve, scoop heaping spoonfuls of the tomato-bean mixture onto the grilled bread, sprinkle with kosher salt, and drizzle with additional olive oil.
Yield: 4 servings, 3 slices each
Prep time: 15 minutes
Ease of preparation: Easy
Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian developed for the Grain Foods Foundation
