The little arak added to the classic combo of white beans and tomato goes a long way, adding a kick with both sweetness and bitterness of anise to the dish.
Arak is an anise flavored liquor from the Middle East, similar to ouzo.
White beans with tomato and arak
Course: Grains & Legumes, Salads, sidesCuisine: IsraeliDifficulty: Easy4
servings15
minutesUse the largest white beans you can find, preferably as large as corona beans, cannellini beans or the Greek gigantic beans. You can cook them yourself according to instructions on the package or use canned ones.
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ red onion, thinly sliced
Pinch dried crushed red pepper
2 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons arak
1 cup pre-cooked large white beans (see note above) or a can of cannellini beans, washed in water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
DIRECTIONS
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat and sauté red onion with crushed red pepper, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer onion to a bowl. Put skillet back on medium-high heat.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to skillet and then add tomatoes. Let tomatoes char and brown, shaking the skillet every couple of minutes, for about 8 minutes. Add brown sugar and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add onion back to skillet, then add arak and let it evaporate, about 15 seconds. Add cooked beans and 1 teaspoon salt and continue cooking until the beans are warm, about 1 minutes. Remove from the heat. - Serve hot or warm, with a drizzle of olive oil. Keep in a sealed container in the fridge up to 3 days.
