Ottolenghi’s Garlic Tart

There are some weeks that demand comfort food. Also possibly a small kitchen project to distract from endlessly refreshing my news feed. Enter Yotam Ottolenghi’s garlic tart - cloves of garlic simmered in a balsamic syrup with fragrant herbs, layered on top of not one, but two kinds of goat cheese, all bathed in a creamy custard and baked in a crispy puff pastry shell. Sounds like comfort to me.

I say this is a project, but really there’s nothing that complicated here. It’s a little time consuming - there are a number of steps - but there are chunks of time between them. You don’t have to be active for the length of the recipe, but you have to be somewhat committed. It requires a fluted tart pan, which feels project-y. And I don’t work with puff pastry that much, and even when I use (perfect good enough) frozen puff pastry, I somehow manage to not be prepared to roll it out and then it gets too warm and chaos ensues. However, I’m happy to report that the puff pastry in this recipe requires minimal manipulation, and its use has the upside that you can use the scraps to make some airy Palmiers to snack on while the custard sets. I’ve included some hard-won tips on how to manage the pastry in the recipe if you, like me, find it a little challenging.

You’ll think you can eat this whole tart when it comes out of the oven looking and smelling gorgeous, and more power to you! But I couldn’t do it - it’s pretty rich. Happily, it keeps well for a couple of days and reheats beautifully - don’t be deterred by the soft pastry, it crisps right up with a little help from the oven.

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Ottolenghi’s Garlic Tart

Time: 2 || Servings: 8 || Source: Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

• Puff pastry - 13 oz (frozen and thawed in the refrigerator)

• Garlic - 3 heads, cloves separated and peeled

• Olive oil - 1 tbsp

• Balsamic vinegar - 1 tbsp

• Sugar - 3/4 tbsp

• Rosemary - 1 tsp, chopped

• Thyme - 1 tsp, chopped

• Chevre or other soft, creamy goat cheese - 4.5 oz

• Goat gouda or other hard, mature goat cheese - 4.5 oz,

• Eggs - 2

• Heavy cream - 6.5 tbsp

• Creme fraiche - 6.5 tbsp

• Salt & black pepper

If frozen, thaw your puff pastry in the refrigerator until it’s flexible, about four hours - if it’s too cold, it’ll tear.

Have on hand your 11 inch fluted tart pan, ideally with a loose bottom.

Read this section before you start working with the puff pastry if you’re not experienced: Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll out the puff pastry into a circle that can line your tart pan with a little extra hanging over the sides - you can estimate this by placing your tart pan over your pastry and eyeing the size. When you’ve gotten to about the right size, place your rolling pin at the edge of the pastry. Roll the pin towards the center of the pastry without using pressure, bringing the edge of the pastry with the pin so it loops over it. At the end, part of the pastry should be folded over the rolling pin. This should allow you to lift the pastry with little pressure, reducing the risk of tearing. Lift the rolling pin over your tart pan and place the pastry in the pan. Gently press the pastry down into the bottom and sides of the pan. A little overhang is fine, but trim any very excessive pastry hanging out of the pan with some kitchen scissors.

Cover the pastry with parchment paper and fill the bottom with dried beans or pie weights. Let this rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, and preheat the oven to 350°F. (This is usually when I start peeling garlic!) After it’s rested, put the pastry in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, then remove the weights and paper and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, until the pastry has turned golden. Set the pastry aside. Leave the oven on.

While the pastry is baking, put the garlic cloves in a small pan and cover with water. Bring this to a simmer and blanche the garlic cloves for three minutes, then drain. Dry the pan and put it on high heat. Return the garlic cloves to the pan and add the olive oil, frying for 2 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and 1 cup of water and bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Add sugar, rosemary, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat when the garlic cloves are coated in a dark syrup and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Final component: the custard. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, heavy cream, crème fraiche, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and some black pepper.

Return to your pastry shell for assembly. Crumble the soft and hard goat cheeses into the tart, distributing evenly around the shell. Pour the garlic and its syrup over the cheese. Pour the custard over the cheese and garlic, although you may not need all of it - you still want to see the garlic and cheese poking through the top.

When you’re ready to put the tart in the oven, reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Place tart in oven and bake for 35-45 minutes. The tart filling should be set and the top should be golden. Garnish with thyme sprigs if you’d like, and serve warm.

Butternut Squash Soup with Rosemary Croutons

Okay, I’m ready for warm weather. I can’t wait for sunny park walks with just a light jacket - or, dare we dream, no jacket? - and, on the other side of that, days of abundant fresh produce hand selected from the market. In the meantime, I’m clinging to my winter squashes and citrus, and trying hard to embrace the moment. Because along with the park walks and jacketless freedom come seasonal allergies and sunblock - so there are benefits to the here and now. Like this creamy butternut squash soup.

The most difficult thing you’ll do for this recipe is chop the butternut squash. If knives aren’t your thing, you could purchase prepared chopped squash - no shame in saving your time and/or fingers. If you have a whole squash on hand, start with peeling. It’ll take a little patience, but a simple vegetable peeler (Y-shaped preferred) will do the trick. Once peeled, take a thin slice off the bottom and top to form a stable surface for cutting. Stand the squash upright so it’s tall on its base and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut it vertically, applying firm pressure until you cut through. Scoop out the seeds, then chop. For this recipe, you’re looking for 2-inch chunks.

This is a pretty basic soup as far as soups go: chopped vegetables boiled in water. Sure, we fancy it up a little with some floral notes from the rosemary, some umami from the parmesan, some crunchy breadcrumbs - maybe a little sherry if you have it on hand to add some depth and complexity. But the star of this soup is butternut squash, and it delivers with sweetness, nuttiness, and a velvety texture. Thanks, winter.

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Butternut Squash Soup

Time: 1 ½ hours || Servings: 8

• Butternut squash - 1 ½ lbs, one large or two small squash

• Olive oil - 1 tbsp

• Onion - 1 cup, chopped from 1-2 onions

• Garlic - 4 cloves, peeled and crushed

• Water - 3 cups

• Rosemary sprigs - 2

• Chicken or vegetable stock - 1 cup

• Sherry - ¼ cup

• Chunky breadcrumbs - you can buy or make these by pulsing a day-old baguette in a food processor; alternatively, pull some bread into big chunks and toast a bit longer

• Parmesan cheese - grated, for serving

Peel the butternut squash and cut a thin slice from the bottom and top to give it an even surface to stand on. Carefully halve the butternut squash vertically. Scoop out the seeds and discard, then roughly chop the squash into 2-inch chunks.

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Don’t let the onions brown. Then add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the squash, water, and one rosemary sprig, then cover and simmer for about 45 minutes.

While the squash simmers, heat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the breadcrumbs out on the baking sheet. Chop the leaves from the second sprig of rosemary and sprinkle them over the breadcrumbs. Drizzle breadcrumbs with the oil, then give them a toss to coat them. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally to allow the crumbs to brown evenly. Remove when breadcrumbs are crisp, and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Set aside to cool.

When the squash is tender and easily pierced with a fork, turn off the heat and discard the rosemary sprig. Puree the mixture using an immersion blender or food mill, or let it cool slightly and use a blender or food processor to puree in as many batches as necessary. Return the puree to the pot over low heat and add the sherry. Slowly add stock until you reach desired consistency. Add a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, then taste and add sherry and seasoning to your taste. Serve topped with the breadcrumbs and a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Winter Greens Salad

I know, a salad doesn’t seem exciting, and not only is this a salad but it’s one made from winter greens that are maybe a little bit - what shall we say? - oh I guess, yes, they can be bitter, if you’re the type to judge. But don’t stop reading yet. It would be in your best interest to keep reading. Because yes, this salad has bitter greens in it, but the acidic lemony mustardy pop of the dressing transforms them. You will not regret eating this.

And let’s face it - it’s been a loooong indoor winter, with sad salads made from greens that long for sun and soil and a shorter commute. These greens might be a little different from your darling bibb and butter lettuces, but they are of the moment. And aren’t we all a little bitter right now? These greens get you.

Did you notice that some of this salad is a little pink? That’s a fancy little chicory called Radicchio La Rosa del Veneto - aka pink radicchio from Venice. I’d never heard of it before, but my local shop had it and who could resist that color? Apparently it’s having a little moment and is being grown in the US with more regularity (some crazy restaurants actually import it from Venice!). It’s absolutely unnecessary to go on a mission to find it, though - red radicchio is equally delicious.

Eat this salad with these awesome garlic & goat cheese toasts, maybe some olives - and a big glass of wine.

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Winter Greens Salad

Time: 10 minutes || Servings: 5 || Source: Slightly adapted from Mozza via NYT

• Whole grain mustard - 1 ½ tsp

• Dijon mustard - 1 ½ tsp

• Lemon juice, freshly squeezed - 3 to 6 tbsp

• Olive oil - ½ cup

• Salt & pepper

• Mixed winter greens, such as frisée, radicchio, or dandelion greens - 8 oz or ½ lb

When you’re ready to eat, wash and dry the greens. If there are signs of wilting, soak the greens in cold water - this can also help to reduce the bitterness of radicchio. Dry thoroughly using a salad spinner or kitchen towels. Tear greens into bite sized pieces. I like to keep small leaves whole because they’re pretty. Toss the greens together and place in a large bowl for serving, or individual bowls.

Make the dressing. Note: These amounts will make more dressing than you’ll need for this salad, but it’ll keep in the refrigerator for a week and works well on other greens. In a jar, combine the mustards, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste (I used ½ tsp salt to start). Cover and shake vigorously. When emulsified (the ingredients have come together and look creamy, and the olive oil isn’t separated), dip a small piece of radicchio or frisée into the dressing and taste it. The amount of lemon needed will depend on the acidity of your particular lemon and mustard; I needed 4 tablespoons to get some pop from the lemon. Add additional lemon and salt if needed and taste again - repeat until your palate is happy.

Toss the greens with just enough dressing to coat them. Start with less dressing than you think you need - it’s easy to add more, but an over-dressed salad is irretrievably soggy.

Variation: Although quite good as is, this salad wouldn’t suffer from the addition of toasted walnuts or pine nuts or a little shaved parmesan or roquefort if you feel so inclined.

Goat Cheese & Roasted Garlic Toasts

We’ve been enjoying a lot of rich, meaty foods recently (see: bolognese, beef stew), but with warmer weather peeking through - including an incredible 70°F March birthday, thank you thank you - it felt time to go for something a little lighter. We’re not quite at zucchini season, so I turned to winter greens and some pantry staples for support.

I love garlic. It has a distinct flavor, as vampires can attest, but it’s so versatile: crush a clove and plop it in a yogurt sauce for subtle flavor, grate it into a dressing for a spicy punch, mince it with onions as a base for tomato sauce. Or, in this case, mellow it out to sweetness with a long roast and eat it directly out of its crinkly skins.

This toast is super simple and easy to prep ahead of time - and actually, you eliminate most of the prep if you just arrange the ingredients for a make-it-yourself experience. The garlic heads can be roasted anytime the day you’re planning to eat, making it easy to snag five minutes to get them in the oven. I used a seeded sourdough for this, but most toasted bread would work - I like having them be sort of crostini sized for easy assembly and consuming.

This is great for lunch with a salad, or bulk it out for dinner with more antipasti items, like raw or roasted vegetables, cured meats, olives, and, of course, wine.

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Goat Cheese & Roasted Garlic Toasts

Time: 15 minutes active, 1 hour roasting || Servings: your call

• Garlic heads - 1 per person

• Olive oil

• Goat cheese - 1-2 oz per person

• Good bread, such as a baguette

• Herbs, such as thyme or rosemary - optional

• Salt & pepper

Roast the garlic. This can be done anytime the day you’re planning to eat. Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice about a half inch off the top of the garlic heads - the top of the garlic cloves should be visible. If not, slice a little more. Discard the tops. Place the garlic heads in a baking dish, cut side up. Drizzle the top lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Fill the baking dish about a quarter inch deep with water and cover tightly with foil. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. When done, remove from the oven and remove the foil; the garlic should be soft and creamy. The garlic can sit at room temperature in its papery skin until you’re ready to use it.

When you’re closer to eating, put the goat cheese out to come to room temperature - this makes it easier to spread. Finely chop the herbs, if using, and combine with the goat cheese.

Cut the bread into pieces that are easy to pick up - slices for a baguette, or 1.5 inch squares for a boule. Toast the bread lightly.

You can assemble the toasts to serve, but I like putting all of the components out to let people assemble their own. This is how I assemble mine: I spread the goat cheese over the toast, then gently squeeze the bottom of the garlic cloves - they should squish right out. I spread the garlic over the goat cheese, then drizzle it with olive oil and sprinkle with chunky salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Chinese-Style Rice Noodles

My best friend since childhood, Cat, is Chinese. We had sleepovers weekly, attended our first concert together, went to dance classes together (…when my mom didn’t take us for ice cream instead - the antithesis of Cat’s strict Chinese parents). We grew up in each other’s homes during our formative years.

My family introduced Cat to American, Middle Eastern, and European cuisines. She had her first hamburger at my house and most of the candy she consumed from elementary school through junior high. In an almost certainly overblown-in-the-retelling near drowning incident at a water park, my mom frantically yelled, “That’s my daughter!!!” at a confused lifeguard. (Interracial adoption was less prevalent in NH in the ‘90s, no doubt.)

On the reverse side, I spent a ton of time at Cat’s house. Hanging out with Cat included watching her practice piano, attending Chinese school as the awkward Caucasian tag-along, and going apple picking with her extended family. Her family still loves telling stories about the first time I used chopsticks (it didn’t go well), my reaction to chicken feet (it didn’t go well), and how I worked the room with all the non-English speaking relatives (it went really well, they loved me).

I had no idea how lucky I was to be exposed to Cat’s mother’s amazing culinary skills over the years. Even now, I remember what their home smelled like, the rice always in the pot, the balls of herbal medicine. All those years, and I have maybe three poorly pronounced words of Chinese and no recipes or instincts for Chinese food. For better or worse, all I have to go on now is Cat.

While I can’t really say whether this is authentically Chinese (I was ten, I wasn’t paying attention!), this noodle dish is based off of Cat’s “recipe” when she made it for me a couple of years ago. Measurements weren’t really involved, and she thought it was silly that I was even asking - “just taste it, does it taste good?” - so let’s just say this is a rough reimagining of what she did.

This has been a go-to recipe in my household for a quick and easy, mostly healthy, warm lunch. This is a very basic version of it, but it’s easily adapted to include vegetables (wilted greens, raw radishes, hot peppers) and meat or seafood. In what’s developing as a bit of a theme on this blog, I find this to be yet another good recipe for using up odds and ends in the kitchen.

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Chinese-Style Rice Noodles

Yield: 2 servings || Time: 20 minutes || Source: Cat

• Rice noodles - 4 oz

• Ginger - 2 inches, grated or minced

• Garlic - 1 clove, grated or minced

• Soy sauce - 1/3 cup

• Rice wine vinegar - 1 tbsp

• Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

• Chili garlic sauce - 1 tbsp or to taste (if you don’t have this, add some red pepper flakes to taste)

• Red onion - 1/4 cup, chopped

• Red pepper - 1/3 cup, chopped

• Cilantro - 2 tbsp, chopped

• Peanuts - 2 tbsp, chopped

• Sesame seeds, for garnish

• Sriracha or other hot sauce, for serving

Set a large pot of water to boil. When it’s boiling, cook noodles according to package directions. This usually takes 30 seconds if they’re fresh noodles and maybe 3 minutes if they’re dry.

In a small bowl, combine ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and chili garlic sauce or red pepper flakes. Taste - it should be salty from the soy sauce and a little vinegary. Adjust to taste, but remember it’ll be absorbed by starchy noodles so it won’t taste as strongly when everything is combined.

When noodles are ready, drain and pour them into bowls. Divide sauce among bowls and toss the noodles. Top with chopped onion, red pepper, cilantro, and peanuts. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with Sriracha.

Use-Up-Your-Vegetables Pasta

Sometimes you make something that is just so so good you can’t possibly imagine what else you could be making for dinner because why in the world would you eat something else when you could be eating THIS?

Since this is our third time making this dish this week, I would say we’re pretty solidly in the realm of obsession.

I’ve mentioned previously that we’ve been having a glut of corn, and now the tomatoes have piled up as well. Not that I’m complaining about too much deliciousness cluttering my counter - I know I’ll mock this “problem” of late summer bounty when we’re in the deep dark depths of winter. And yes, yes, I know I can absolutely make a simple tomato sauce that will freeze beautifully and - once rediscovered, thawed, and tossed with pasta one frosty December day - will make my eyes tear up with memories of beach days and tank tops. But that doesn’t so much solve the problem of dinner tonight. And, so was born Use-Up-Your-Vegetables pasta.

Is this really a recipe? I don’t know. Is it an ode to all the flavors of summer, a true honor to corn, eggplant, and tomatoes? YES.

At its core, this “recipe” is no more than sautéing a few gorgeous vegetables - corn, eggplant, onion, garlic, tomato - in olive oil, smothering them with cheese, and tossing them with pasta. Incredibly easy and incredibly satisfying.

“But I don’t have corn,” you say, smugly surveying your gleaming, cornsilk-free countertops. No problem! in the spirit of using up your vegetables, use what you have on hand. Skip the corn, add the green beans. Got zucchini? Wonderful, toss it in! You can’t really go wrong with bright, fresh summer vegetables. I kind of think you’ll be obsessed with this, too.

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Use-Up-Your-Vegetables Pasta

Servings: 4-6 || Time: 30 minutes || Inspiration: Late summer vegetable bounty

• Olive oil - 2-4 tbsp

• Onion, white or yellow - 1 small, diced

• Corn kernels - about 1 cup, cut from 2 ears of corn (frozen could work)

• Eggplant - 1 medium, diced

• Garlic - 2 cloves, minced

• Tomatoes - 3 medium, diced

• Farfalle pasta or other forkable shape - 1 lb

• Parmesan - grated, to taste

• Herbs, like basil, parsley, cilantro, or tarragon for garnish

Set a large pot of salted water over high heat to come to a boil.

Meanwhile, set a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add onion and sauté until it begins to turn translucent. Add corn kernels, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until they start to brown. Add eggplant and season once more. The eggplant will absorb a lot of the oil, so add a bit more if needed to prevent burning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is browned. Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, then add tomatoes. Continue to cook, stirring here and there, for 10-15 minutes more while the pasta cooks. Turn down heat as necessary to maintain a low simmer.

Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water, and add to sauce. Toss the sauce and the pasta together. Transfer to a bowl.

Top pasta with Parmesan. Your sauce may need a little help to get saucy and marry with the pasta, especially if you use a less juicy type of tomato, like plum tomatoes. Add pasta water to the bowl, using a 1/4 cup at a time, and toss with pasta until you get a satisfying squelchy sound and the pasta looks well coated with sauce. Top with perhaps a little more cheese (why not?) and the chopped herbs of your choice.

Corn Jalapeño Muffins

I’m going to blow your mind in a couple days with a killer catfish recipe. But first I have to talk about corn. 

I have so much corn.

Buying a farm share has so many benefits: we support local food, a local business, local people, plus we eat healthfully and deliciously ourselves. But the downside is that you get a LOT of whatever’s in season and growing well at the farm. Which, in this case, means lots and lots of corn.

I’m getting into the farm share rhythm and slowly but steadily learning how to put away those summer flavors for the darker and sparser wintertimes. (Yes, winter is coming.) I made some delicious, bright plum tomato sauce that will just scream summer when I rediscover it in my freezer in January. And instead of wondering what to do with another amazing, fragrant bunch of basil, I made a quick and dirty pesto that has been my go to snack with bread all week.

I have to admit, though, that I am having an absolute drought of creativity when it comes to corn. I know I can cut the kernels off the cob and freeze them straight, but that seems a little pathetic, and what will I do with it this winter anyway?

So I turned to my local newspaper and I found a recipe for corn jalapeno muffins and I can’t lie, I was pretty excited. I like spicy food, but my partner LOVES spicy food. And anything that will mercifully take two whole cobs of corn off my hands is very much in my wheelhouse right now.

I made a few modifications to this recipe to turn it into the corn-using muffins of my dreams. I reduced the butter by a couple of tablespoons, which allowed me to add butter directly to the cooked muffin with limited guilt. (I also melted it in the same pan as the corn jalapeño mixture, because… why?) I doubled the jalapeño because - as mentioned - the partner loves spice. I made a full muffin style version of these, rather than the mini-muffins the recipe suggests. And, of course, I added a little more corn that was strictly necessary.

The batter ended up so light and airy that I felt like I should fold the corn, jalapeño, and cheese into it rather than mix - but this sort of delicacy is unnecessary. Give it a try -- you too will end up with muffins that are moist and spicy with pops of texture from the sweet corn kernels.

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Corn Jalapeno Muffins

Yield: 18 muffins || Time: 45 minutes || Adapted from: The New York Times

• Butter - 4 tbsp

• Corn kernels - raw from a fresh corn cob, or chopped frozen corn

• Jalapeño - 2

• Flour - 1 cup

• Cornmeal - 1 cup

• Baking powder - 1.5 tsp

• Baking soda - 1.5 tsp

• Eggs - 2, beaten

• Buttermilk - 1.5 cups

• Sharp cheddar or gruyere cheese - 3 ounces or 85 grams

Heat the oven to 400°F and butter a muffin tin.

In a small skillet, heat butter over medium low heat. Add corn and jalapeño, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté for a couple of minutes to soften.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda. Add eggs and buttermilk and mix. Add corn jalapeño mixture, followed by the cheese.

Fill muffin tin with batter until about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

White Bean Bruschetta

Hello -- my name’s Marisa, I live in NYC with my partner and our new-ish baby girl (born in December!). I’m starting this blog to document our adventures in cooking and eating, two of my very favorite activities.

It’s been challenging to get back into cooking following the birth of our little one, but I’ve always found cooking to be a rewarding (read: delicious) and mostly relaxing activity. I also really believe in being close to your food - knowing where it comes from and the people who grow it, if you can. That’s easier to do when it’s not winter, of course.

I’m excited to start with a simple dish that we love from a sadly defunct but formerly lovely West Village restaurant, Pó. Pó was one of Mario Batali’s first restaurants — despite his other proclivities, he does know how to cook. In typical NYC style, it was a tiny, cozy spot that put out delicious Italian food. Delightfully, one of the best things they served was actually free.

This white bean bruschetta, studded with zingy sliced garlic and red pepper flakes, came to the table gratis. It was a mouth-watering way to start a meal and, as it turns out, not too difficult to make at home. I really like that it’s versatile -- simple enough for an any-night appetizer using mostly pantry items, impressive enough for guests, and easily scaled for a big group. This will be tasty no matter what, but I like to splurge on fresh, good quality olive oil and aged balsamic to make this extra.

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White Bean Bruschetta from Pó (RIP)

Yield: 12 pieces || Time: 20 minutes || Source: Pó

• Cannellini beans (white kidney beans) - 1 can, drained & well rinsed

• Extra virgin olive oil - 3 tablespoons

• Balsamic vinegar - 2 tablespoons

• Red pepper flakes - 1/2 teaspoon or to taste

• Basil leaves - 2 tablespoons, chopped*

• Garlic - 2 cloves, thinly sliced or finely chopped

• Salt and pepper

• Baguette, sliced ½” thick

In a medium bowl, put the rinsed beans, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, basil, and garlic. Gently combine - I like to use my hands. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours to marinate and let the flavors come together.

Slice the baguette. Serve the bread with the bowl of the bean mixture, or spoon the bean mixture on ahead of time if you want to get fancy. If you do put the beans on the bread to serve, consider toasting the bread so it doesn’t get soggy (in an oven at 325°F for 5-10 minutes).

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*Although it makes no difference to how it tastes, basil is beautiful when it’s thinly sliced, aka chiffonade. To do it, pile a number of basil leaves on top of each other, then tightly roll the pile so you have a long thin roll. Slice thinly along the bundle of basil and you’ll get elegant ribbons!