Radicchio and Mixed Leaves With Crunchy White Beans and Pastrami 'Bacon'

Monday, September 30, 2013
This recipe is the perfect balance of salad and Winter. In other words, were all very content with having 'just a salad' all Summer but when Winter comes around, it's much harder not to indulge in comfort food.

If you want to stick with the 'just a salad' mentality through out Winter, this is the salad to go for. It's a lot more filling than your usual salad and the crispy white beans are actually a little bit 'comfort food-y'. (The white beans are also an amazing snack if you want to stay away from the processed stuff).

If you're entertaining, it's also a refreshing (and not to mention, impressive) change for your guests from the usual leaves thrown in a bowl we often use to bulk up the menu a bit.

Make it as a starter or even as dinner for one (with a few extra crunchy beans left over to snack on).

(P.S. If you're kosher, like many kosher people, you'll feel like you've missed out a little on a few dietary restrictions, i.e. bacon. If this is the case, try the pastrami bacon as a substitute, you won't be disappointed, and it's a lot less calories)!














SERVES 2-4

YOU WILL NEED:
1 CAN WHITE BEANS
4-6 PIECES BEEF PASTRAMI
1 PACK MIXED GREEN LEAVES
1 RADICCHIO, CHOPPED OR SLICED
1/4 RED ONION, THINLY SLICED
1-2 MIXED HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
1 HANDFUL FLAT PARSLEY LEAVES
3 ClOVES GARLIC

FOR THE DRESSING:
3 TBSP RED WINE VINEGAR
2 TBSP WALNUT OIL
1 TSBP OLIVE OIL (PLUS MORE FOR DRIZZLING)
SEA SALT AND PEPPER

Pre-heat the oven to 200 Degrees C or 390 F.

Drain and rinse the white beans. Spread the beans on a baking tray with a piece of baking parchment paper along with the whole garlic cloves (unpeeled).

Drizzle with approximately one tablespoon of olive oil and some sea salt. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the beans are crunchy and golden. (You may need to turn them half way).

Meanwhile, place a pan on very high heat. Add the pastrami pieces to the pan (with no oil). Keep an eye on them and turn after 2-3 minutes. They should shrink, become crispy and darken. Place on a paper towel, to remove the extracted oil.

Once the beans are ready and slightly cooled, combine all dressing ingredients together and toss your leaves and radicchio with the dressing, leaving a little bit for the end.

Roughly chop or slice the tomatoes the way you like them cut. Place on top of the leaves and radicchio and drizzle with a little more dressing.

Top the leaves, radicchio and tomatoes with the sliced red onion, crispy white beans and pastrami bacon. Drizzle with good olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

<3 Emanuelle