INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp (20ml) extra virgin olive oil
300g fennel and garlic salami, halved lengthways and sliced
2 red onions, halved, sliced
600g portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tsp ground coriander
1 cup (250ml) Vermentino
500g (2½ cups) dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight
2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock
6 thyme sprigs
600g ripe tomatoes, peeled, deseeded,
cut in 1-2cm dice
Gremolata
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan-forced). Heat oil in a large oven-proof pan over medium-high heat. Add the salami and cook, stirring frequently until crisp. Remove to a paper-lined plate. Add onions to the salami flavoured oil in the pan and cook, stirring frequently until almost soft but not brown. Add mushrooms, garlic and coriander and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add wine, then the drained beans, stock, 2 cups water and thyme. Bring to a simmer. Bake, uncovered, for an hour or until the beans are tender.
2. Meanwhile, combine all of the gremolata ingredients.
3. Remove beans from oven, stir through tomatoes, half each of salami and gremolata. Garnish with remaining salami and gremolata. Can also be served at room temp or cold as a salad.
TO SHARE: Place in centre of the table for guests to serve themselves.
Lyndey’s note: If you prefer to use 4 cups tinned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, only add half the wine and stock, no water and bake for only 30 minutes.
Wine match: This is a creamy-textured and flavour-packed dish with garlic playing a large part, which can make wine matching tricky. But a dry, fresh and lively white wine like Vermentino is a perfect choice. Also, its high acidity balances the creamy cannellini beans. Prefer a red? A Shiraz that features savoury flavours would be perfect with the rustic beans and salami as well.