| Serves |
|---|
| 4 |
Ingredients
For the Herb Sauce
- 2 cups (500 mL) fresh herbs such as lovage, lemon balm, mint, chives and dill (optional: kale or arugula)
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ slice of stale bread
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- Pinch of chilies
- Large pinch of salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (60 mL) water
For the Fried Bread
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 1-½ slices sourdough bread
- 1 clove of garlic
- Pinch of salt
For the Leeks and Beans
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 6 leeks, cleaned and sliced into rounds
- Pinch of salt
- 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 can white beans such as cannellini, navy or butter beans
- 3 cups (750 mL) chicken or vegetable broth (or water and a bouillon cube)
- Pinch of chillies
- Zest and Juice of half a lemon
- Salt and pepper to taste
To Serve
- ¾ cup (175 mL) ricotta cheese
- Another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) minced chives
Directions
Make the Herb Sauce
- Place everything in a high powered blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add a little more water if necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings. This makes more than you will need, so place any extra in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Fry the Bread
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat warm the oil until it just shimmers. Fry the bread on both sides until golden brown. Set aside until cool and then rub the sides with a clove of garlic. Sprinkle with salt.
Make the Leeks and Beans
- In the same saucepan over high heat, add oil. Once it shimmers, add in the leeks along with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring so that they do not brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the sliced garlic and cook one minute more. Add in beans, followed by broth and chillies, and let simmer for 5 minutes until the leeks and beans are thoroughly introduced. Turn off heat and add herb sauce, zest and juice.
To Serve
- Tear the fried bread in more or less large crouton pieces over the warm leeks and beans. Dollop the ricotta on top, and then add a final flourish of oil and a smattering of chives.