Carrots and Beans with Dill

Recipe adapted from: Near & Far, by Heidi Swanson

“It tastes good the day you make it, even better the day after. And although it's certainly not as pretty, in my opinion, it might taste best on day three as the shallots infused the beans and the lemon mellowed… One of my favorite things to do is make a double batch. It can hang out in the refrigerator for a couple days, no problem, and makes a great side to many meals. That said, I often turn it into a favorite dinner. Tossing the bean salad with any short pasta like penne, radiatore, or rigatoni and a bit of goat cheese is fantastic.”

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more olive oil (or ghee) for cooking
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots or spring onions
2-3 cups sliced carrots, cut 1/4-inch thick on deep bias, cut into half-moons if large
3 cups cooked white beans
scant 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or basil)
2 tablespoons brown sugar (or honey)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and shallots in a small bowl. Stir and set aside. If you don't like raw shallots, keep separate - you’ll add to the pan with the carrots.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, toss the carrots with a splash of olive oil or a spoonful of ghee. Let them cook in a single layer - they'll give off a bit of water at first. Keep cooking, tossing gently every three or four minutes until the carrots are deeply browned (about 12 minutes).

If cooking your shallots, push carrots to the side, add a bit more oil, then add shallots and sauté for one to two minutes. 

Add the beans and dill to the skillet and cook for another five minutes, or until the beans are well heated through. If you are using beans that weren't canned you can allow them to brown a bit as well (just cook a bit longer, and stir less frequently) - they can handle this in a way that most canned beans can't. If you need to add a bit more olive oil to the pan - do so.

Place the contents of the skillet in a large mixing bowl, sprinkle with the brown sugar and pour the 3/4 of the lemon-olive oil mixture over the top. Toss gently. Let sit for ten minutes. Toss gently once again, taste and adjust with more salt or sugar or lemon juice if needed to balance the flavors. 

Serve warm or at room temperature and finish by sprinkling with the almonds just before serving.