The winter can be a tough time. All the cold, clouds, snow and sleet can really get you down.
Beat the winter blues with a dish that’ll send your taste buds somewhere warm and tropical! How about Hawaii?
Beans are a great versatile food, capable of playing chameleon to many other foods. In an effort to find something light, refreshing and tropical to help us escape the cold outside, we decided to try and see how delicious and meaty great northern white beans paired with the sweet and tart flavors on pineapple. We were extremely pleased with the results!
We started with broiling the pineapple with a little bit of sugar. This helps take some of the bite and acidity away from the pineapple, which we all know can cause irritation and burning on the roof of your mouth. What is left is a slice of pineapple with a mellower flavor that still retains its soft texture and now has a stronger sweetness to it.
However, we don’t want this dish to be too sweet. So we created an Asian-style dressing using curry powder, chili flakes and a splash of lime to help cut through the sweet with some spicy!
The salad itself is a simple mix of Randall Great Northern Beans, mint and kale. The kale gives the salad great texture without a strong flavor while the mint gives the mixture a bright freshness. And the beans? Well, the beans are just delicious and make up the foundation for the whole dish.
Mix it all together and serve over a piece of the broiled pineapple and there you have it! A recipe that is bright, sweet, spicy and fresh to help you escape the harshness of winter. Just make sure your taste buds send you a post card!
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pineapple, cut into 81/4 inch slices + 1 cup finely chopped
- Sugar, for dusting on pineapple slices
- 8 tbs. olive oil, divided in half
- 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
- 4 tsp. black or white sesame seeds
- 2 tsp. curry powder
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. white pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tbs garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
- 4 1/2 cups Randall Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
- 2/3 cup fresh mint, chiffonade
- 2 cups kale, chiffonade
Instructions
- Place slices of pineapple on a baking sheet, dust the tops with sugar. Broil pineapple slices until sugar caramelizes, about 5 minutes. Flip and dust the other side with sugar and broil. Remove from oven and let cool.
- In a sauce pan over medium high, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Add sesame seeds and chili flakes. Once the sesame seeds pop add all the remaining ingredients, slowly whisking in the olive oil. Let cool.
- Combine all ingredients and chill. Place a pineapple slice on a plate, top with the bean salad and then top with another pineapple slice
Need some more great cold-weather recipes to help beat the winter blues? Randall Beans has you covered! Our extensive list of delightful recipes are perfect for when the weather is frightful. Whether you are looking for a hearty and unique recipe that’ll stick to your ribs like out Sausage and White Bean Cassoulet or just some good old fashion comfort food like a Meat, Bean and Potato Casserole, there is no shortage of good food to find. Of course, you can always find great collections in our free cookbooks.
Happy eating!
This recipe featuring Randall Great Northern Beans is a perfect summer side dish.
