Food & Wine USA - (01)January 2020

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JANUARY 2020

Chefs Know Best Inspired by brilliant

restaurant dishes, these tricks will

upgrade your weeknight cooking.

CHEF-INSPIRED

Garlic Toasts with Lemon Aioli

and Marinated Beans

ACTIVE 55 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 10 MIN

SERVES 4

Upgrade beans on toast like chef Joshua

McFadden of Ava Gene’s in Portland,

Oregon, with heirloom beans. We love

them with “cheater’s aioli”—the spicy raw

garlic and bright lemon transform store-

bought mayonnaise into a big-flavored

condiment.

4 garlic cloves, divided

2 (4-oz.) lemons, divided

(^1) / (^2) cup mayonnaise
(^1) / 2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
11 /^2 cups cooked beans (such as lima,
cannellini, or royal corona)
(^1) / (^4) cup finely chopped shallot
1 Tbsp. finely chopped unseeded
serrano chile
Kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
(^1) / 2 cup finely chopped celery, plus
pale, tender celery leaves, for
garnish
(^1) / 4 cup chopped fresh mixed tender
herbs (such as basil, cilantro,
chives, and tarragon)
4 (^1 /^2 -inch-thick) rustic bread slices

1. Grate 1 garlic clove to yield^1 / 2 teaspoon.
   Zest and juice 1 lemon to yield 1 teaspoon
   zest and 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice;
   set juice aside. Stir together mayonnaise,
   grated garlic, and lemon zest; set aside.


2. Cut remaining lemon in half, reserving 1
   half for another use. Very thinly slice
   remaining lemon half; cut slices into half-
   moons, and discard seeds. Smash 2 garlic
   cloves, and place in a 12-inch skillet; add

(^1) / 2 cup oil and lemon half-moons. Cook
over low, swirling skillet occasionally,
until fragrant and lemon pith is tender,
about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, shallot,
chile, and reserved 3 tablespoons lemon
juice. Increase heat to medium-high, and
bring to a simmer. Simmer 1 minute.
Transfer mixture to a medium bowl; sea-
son with salt and pepper to taste. Let mix-
ture marinate at room temperature 30
minutes. Stir in celery and herbs.

3. While mixture marinates, heat a grill
   pan over medium. Lightly brush bread
   with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Grill
   bread until crisp, about 3 minutes per
   side. Rub remaining garlic clove over one
   side of each bread slice, and top evenly
   with bean mixture. Drizzle with any
   remaining juices in bottom of bowl. Spoon
   dollops of aioli on each, and garnish with
   celery leaves. —LIZ MERVOSH
   MAKE AHEAD Refrigerate bean mixture in
   an airtight container up to 3 days.