Beans and Fennel and Sardines

 

Sound delectable?  Well it should because The Careless Cook is making it. But, my three longtime fans also know, that with any recipe from The Careless Cook, you’re encouraged to make your own changes from a of this to a little of that, on the journey to satisfying your own tastebuds. Allow whatever you fancy or don’t  fancy lead you to the culinary Valhalla of your dreams. 

 

Let’s take sardines for example. Some folks just don’t like ‘em. So, if you’re one of those unfortunates, change the recipe! 

 

Don’t toss the whole recipe!  Are you mad? Toss one heck of a recipe? 

 

Leave out the sardines, or use another fish or shellfish or meat, or go vegan and disappoint everyone in your family above the age of thirty-five.

 

But, I’m telling you, this simple soup or stew, depending on how soupy you make it, is filled with flavor that will haunt your dreams and make you yearn for just one more bowl full. 

 

Let me see…..where was I…..oh yea, it goes well with white wine, which is also in the recipe. And remember, even if you’re not an alcohol fan, the alcohol disappears in the cooking, but the flavor hangs on!

 

Beans and Fennel with Sardines

 

Ingredients

 

1 fennel bulb (cut off the stalks and fronds or use them. I don’t use ‘em.)

 

1 Lemon halved, with one half sliced thinly, seeds discarded. Save the other half.

 

¼ cup olive oil (extra-virgin? Never met one of those.)

 

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced.

 

6 garlic (or more) peeled and thinly sliced, or just bash the hell out of them.

 

Italian spice to taste (I use The Spice Lab Italian Rustico, a couple of tablespoons)

Any other fresh spices your tastebuds yearn for (I used chopped fresh rosemary from my garden)

 

2 or more chicken Andouille sausages sliced (I used two)

 

½ teaspoon (or more) crushed red pepper flakes

 

¼ cup dry white wine (I didn’t measure, just sloshed some.)

 

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

 

2  15.5 oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

 

1 4.4-oz tin of sardines

 

Chopped parsley or cilantro  (I use cilantro…always)

 

Puttin’ It Together

 

1. Slice the fennel into bite sized slivers

2. Heat the oil to medium hot in a large pot. Toss in fennel, shallots, garlic, all the herbs, lemon slices, sliced sausage, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the lemon slices are soft or have brown spots. Remove them, but save them.

3. Add wine and cook until partially reduced, a minute or two.

4. Add the broth and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat to medium.

6. Simmer and stir occasionally until fennel is soft.

7. Add the beans and simmer about 10 minutes.

8. Open and drain the sardines and squeeze the juice from the remaining half of lemon over the sardines. Give them a few. Minutes.

  

9. Meanwhile, Stir in the parsley/cilantro.

10. Serve topped with the saved lemon slices.

 

Now it’s time to put the rest of the bottle of white wine to good use. Cheers!