Update: The original was good, but as I suspected, additional vegetables and preserved lemon take this dish over the top. Updated to detail the most recent version, this one with carrots, parsnips, leek + scallions, preserved lemon, dried mint and yes, more free spice mixes from Penzeys, this one Turkish Spice. Enjoy!

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After the excess of “man-food” over Superbowl weekend (Why is it that men lay claim to meat & grease why women get salads & ‘light’ pasta? Food/gender rules never cease to amaze me.), this simple side dish is just what the doctor ordered: flageolet beans, garlic and carrots, all tossed with a bit of olive oil and spices, roasted ’til crispy on the outside and meltingly tender within, and finished with a touch of lemon.

I used a lemon pepper mix (still trying to use up the free spice mixes from Penzey’s; I’ve got two jars of this lemon pepper in the cabinet) but you can easily substitute salt, pepper and fresh lemon zest (dried or frozen lemon zest/peel would also work). I also used some dried lemon balm from my garden; not many people will have this on hand, but it just adds a little green and a bit of extra lemon flavor. Substitute with fresh parsley or your favorite dried green herb.

Easy, filling, delicious. In fact – it’s already gone.

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Roasted Flageolet Beans & Vegetables with Preserved Lemon

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked flageolet beans (I get mine from Rancho Gordo)
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and diced to 1/4-inch
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced to 1/4-inch
• 1 large leek, trimmed, scrubbed and sliced into thin rounds
• 1 bunch scallions (about 6 medium), trimmed, washed and sliced into rounds, white & green parts divided
• 1/2 a preserved lemon, rinsed well, pulp removed, peel chopped to 1/8-inch dice (I make mine straight-up with salt)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried, crumbled mint
• 1 tsp Turkish spice

METHODS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine beans, vegetables (reserve green scallions) and olive oil in a large casserole or baking dish and toss to mix. Sprinkle with mint and Turkish spice: toss to fully incorporate.
3. Roast for 60 – 75 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes or so, or until beans are crispy on the outside but still tender within. Taste and adjust spices. Add green scallions and toss. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6.

OPTIONS

1. Flageolets are a very tasty white bean, and I highly recommend that you search some out, but for this dish, any white bean will do. A smaller white bean will have a better texture, in my opinion: look for navy beans, or try a white bean that you’ve never had before.
2. My original version included: 3 cups flageolet, 1 head garlic (about 12 large cloves), 1 tsp lemon pepper (or 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tbsp fresh lemon zest), 1 tsp dried, crumbled lemon balm (or substitute fresh, chopped parsley, or dried mint, and some extra lemon zest), and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
3. This version was just a bit salty: since preserved lemons carry a lot of salt, it would be best to use a homemade spice mix that does not contain salt. Otherwise, make sure you rinse your preserved lemons quite well.

STORE

Refrigerated, for up to 5 days. Leftovers can be mashed and made into fritters or bean dip.

SEASON

Year round, but lovely in winter.