Eating Art: White Bean Gazpacho ( Ajo Blanco ) with Flagolet Salad

Have you forgotten about 24, 24, 24? I almost have. In the haze of work, I neglected my duty to start posting the recipes from the meal. But, raised right, as I was (thanks Mom), I would feel guilty if I didn't post the recipes.

So, onto course three...White Bean Gazpacho with Flagolet Salad

This dish started with an eternal battle in my kitchen. My husband reveres the rustic; I the refined and beautiful. So for me, Giovanna Garzoni's Broad Beans were pure perfection. The composition, the liveliness; I had always personified those beans. But this 24, 24, 24 thing was a 50/50 affair in terms of planning. So, my husband honed in on the Caracci, one of the first depictions of a poor person dining.

So, what to do? Work together.


We found the most lovely shell peas. The color of the husks (shell?) was claret perfection. I purchased them in part just to break in, to see their secrets. And, then, inside, there were a rugged string of peas.

The night before the dinner, we boiled the peas, tossed them with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, scallions, red shallots, pinch of brown sugar, red pepper, salt and black pepper. We did a pretty job portioning here. We planned for basically 1 T of peas per guest.


But wait the title was Flagolet? What happened? The farmer at the market didn't have the field help to pick the flagolet and even though I had a order in for that date, it just couldn't be satisfied. Such is life.

Then for the gazpacho. I had read the cool simplicity of Ajo Blanco at one of my favorite blogs, Wild Yeast. I basically followed her recipe, but used Korean garlic rather than store bought. And, then for good measure I add two cloves of German garlic. Finally, I tossed in 1/2 cup cooked cannellini beans. This gazpacho was garlicky--like vampire frightening garlicilicious. And, I think the Korean garlic gave it some herbal overtones. Everyone was dying for my secret ingredient--I know it was that garlic.

This was heaven--and the left over gazpacho is great on cooked pasta with some parsley and feta.

Art Objects: Giovanna Garzoni, A Dish of Broad Beans, 1600 & Annibale Carracci, The Beaneater, Oil on canvas, Galleria Colonna, Rome

Pairing: Huber Hugo Gruner Veltliner

Other Related Posts:
Eating Art: A Meal Inspired by Masterworks of Art
Fig Samosas with Carrot Raita
Acorn Squash Kimchi

Lunch Soup

So, we are trying to do better bringing our lunch to work. As weather is getting cooler (sorry,
but it is), perfect as a lunch item, soup boasts little work in production, filling, and healthful. And, you can take your whole lunch (protein, carb, veg) in one easy tupperware. For some, this might not be an issue of contention, but for me it is. We have a variety of attacks on the tupperware in our house. There are some figures in the household who don't always put all the tupperware in the right drawer. There are also some tupperware gremlins, alright just one and her name is Belle. My beloved magpie has lids and bottoms here and there. So, just before we get to bed, I need to have pack up lunch, and I dream of finding but one tupperware. As much as I have bento dreams, I know that a bento box wouldn't last in a minute in my house.

The first soup for work was with some lovely fresh kidney beans from the market. I sauteed cubed eggplant with garlic, cinnamon and fennel seeds, added one fresh tomato diced, and some vegetable stock. Near the end, I added macaroni (it was a little over cooked in the end because I got distracted.) The soup was very delicious and hearty. This meal was also baby-friendly. She loves eggplant. And, she loves kidney beans.