Bean Stew, Clam Casserole and Creamy Dip: Yotam Ottolenghi's Recipes for Cannellini Beans

Canned beans, pot beans, and dried beans: luckily, they all have their uses. For convenience, it is fully tinned. Jarred, on the other hand, has the advantage of being big, buttery, and instantly ready, so he's definitely your friend. Finally, when you have time and want the beans to absorb the flavors of whatever they're cooked with, they're dried for the win (but soak and cook them as soon as possible, because they need time to reach their full potential). However, whichever type you choose, there are myriad ways to incorporate the humble bean into your daily routine.

Cannellini Beans with Grilled Tomatoes and Crunchy Oregano (top photo)

Roasted red peppers work just as well as tomatoes here, if you want to have fun. For a quick mid-week meal, grill tomatoes the night before or use jarred red peppers. In any case, serve with lots of toast and a green salad.

Preparation 15 minCooking 20 minServes 4

4- 5 Italian tomatoes (600g)3 sweet red peppers (60g)100ml olive oil 30g oregano, leaves picked (15g)7 garlic cloves, peeled and halved lengthwise 1 660g jar of cooked cannellini beans, or other white beans – I like the Bold Bean Co1 lemon, zest peeled into 5 wide strips, then squeezed, to get 45ml2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and lightly ground in a mortar Salt and black pepper

Put a frying pan on high heat and, once smoked, put the whole tomatoes and peppers in it, and grill , turning them often, until their skin is blackened all over - the peppers will take two or three minutes and the tomatoes seven to 10. Lift from the pan with tongs, set aside and, once they are cool enough to handle, remove all skins. Cut each tomato into four pieces and tear each pepper into three or four long strips (if you prefer less heat, scrape out and discard the seeds and pith).

Put 70 ml oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and when hot, sauté the oregano leaves for a minute, until crispy and dark green. Pour into a sieve placed over a small bowl and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, put the remaining 30 ml of oil and the cut garlic cloves in half in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and cook for a minute or two, until softened and beginning to brown around the edges. Pour in the beans and liquid from the jar, add 120ml water, the lemon zest strips, half the fennel, half a teaspoon of salt and plenty of cracked black pepper, stir gently and reheat for just three or four minutes.

Pour the bean mixture onto a serving platter. Add the tomatoes, chiles, and lemon juice to the bowl of oregano oil, along with a quarter teaspoon of salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. Mix gently and pour it over the beans. Serve with the crispy oregano leaves and the remaining fennel seeds sprinkled on top.

Cannellini beans with clams and spicy tomatoes (top photo)