White Bean Puree with Rosemary Oil Recipe

I was recently putting together a party for my wife's coworkers. Since I didn't know many of the people coming I wanted to make sure I had stuff that less adventurous eaters would enjoy. So in addition to the fancier dishes I had planned I wanted some more "normal" dishes. I decided on this crostini as a good middle-ground dish. It resembles a more traditional dish but it has a subtle modernist touch.

The white bean puree is a combination of white beans, sweated onion, garlic, and dried orange peel along with some stock, lemon juice, and a touch of cream. I got the idea for the rosemary oil from the Ideas in Food blog, who do a very cool charred version. I thought the oil would add some strong herbal flavors without overwhelming the dish. The white bean puree can be made with either fresh beans or canned beans if you're in a hurry. The grated lemon zest pulls in even more highlights to the food.

Rosemary oil2

Modernist Tools, Ingredients, and Techniques Used

If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the white bean puree with rosemary oil recipe you can check out the following.

Also, if you are just getting started experimenting with molecular gastronomy and modernist cuisine then I highly recommend one of these molecular gastronomy kits. They have everything you need to do many different dishes.

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White Bean Puree with Rosemary Oil Recipe

  • Published: January 27, 2015
  • By Jason Logsdon
  • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
  • Total Time: 1 Hours
  • Makes: Tops 30-50 crostini
Rosemary oil

White Bean Puree with Rosemary Oil Ingredients

Because they use modernist ingredients, these amounts are given in metric by weight. For more information on how to measure modernist ingredients check out this article.

For the White Bean Puree

200g onion, 1 medium, diced
28g garlic, peeled and minced
2g dried orange peel
2g thyme leaves, 8-10 sprigs
130g chicken stock
400g white beans, cooked
15g lemon juice, 1/2 lemon
30g heavy cream
Xanthan gum, optional

For the Rosemary Oil

300g olive oil
15g rosemary leaves, 3-5 sprigs
6g mono and diglyceride flakes, 2%
40g parsley, 1 bunch

To Assemble

Garlic Crostini Base
Lemon zest

White Bean Puree with Rosemary Oil Instructions

For the White Bean Puree

Heat some oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it has softened. Add the garlic, orange peel, and thyme then cook until the garlic has softened. Add the chicken stock and white beans then bring to a simmer. Cook until the beans are very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Once the cooked white bean mixture has cooled, stir in the lemon juice then puree it well. Add the cream and puree to mix. If the puree needs to be thicker, some xanthan gum can be added, about 0.1% to 0.3%.

Because xanthan gum is a modernist ingredient, the amounts for this component are given in metric by weight. Learn more about how to measure modernist ingredients in this article.

The white bean puree will last in the refrigerator for several days and can be served cold or reheated.

For the Rosemary Oil

Combine the olive oil and rosemary in a pot set to low heat. The oil should be just below a "fry" and if the rosemary starts to sizzle turn it down or partially remove it from the heat.

After 30 to 60 minutes the oil should have taken on most of the rosemary flavor. At this point, stir in the mono and diglyceride flakes, remove the oil from the heat and let it cool slightly.

Add the rosemary oil and parsley to a blender and puree until smooth. For a more refined presentation you can strain the oil before using it.

To Assemble

Place the crostini base on a serving plate, or individual plates. Add a spoonful of white bean puree on top. Dot with two to three drops of the rosemary oil and grate some fresh lemon zest on top.

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Jason logsdon headshot This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links on this site might be affiliate links that if used to purchased products I might receive money. I like money but I will not endorse something I don't believe in. Please feel free to directly go to any products I link to and bypass the referral link if you feel uncomfortable with me receiving funds.
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