Meatless Monday: White Beans with Rappi and Lemon

Sometimes I love Wegmans. Sometimes I hate them. Take Sunday, for instance, when the store looked like its shelves had not been replenished in weeks. Skim milk? You had to open the door and shout back to the poor bastards in the cooler. Yogurt? Fat chance. Picked that up at Target. But anchovies were the one that threw me. Apparently, a run on anchovies in the Western suburbs left Wegmans out of stock and me S.O.L. for this recipe.

Epicurious and Bon Appetit offer this as a side dish, but this is not much different than escarole and beans. It worked quite well as a standalone dish, anchovies or not. It would probably go quite nicely next to roasted chicken or pork tenderloin.

WHAT WORKED: The lemon. It helped to take some of the pungency out of the rappi and provided a nice acid to the end product.

WHAT DIDN’T: Wegmans and the Great Anchovy Shortage of 2013.

WHAT DID THE WIFE SAY: Honestly? I have no idea. I either wasn’t listening or…yeah, who am I kidding?

WILL IT MAKE ANOTHER APPEARANCE: Likely as a side.

White Beans with Rappi and Lemon
Adapted from Bon Appetit

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 small lemon, very thinly sliced, seeds removed
2 anchovy fillets packed in oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 15 oz. cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed
1/2 cup of water or vegetable stock
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp. finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add lemon, anchovies, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lemon is softened and brown in spots and anchovies fall apart, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli rabe; season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until bright green and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Add beans and 1/2 cup water to pot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded and liquid is reduced by half (you still want it to be saucy), about 5 minutes. Mix in parsley and 2 tbsp. Parmesan.

Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired, and top with more Parmesan.