Recipe courtesy of Christopher Eley
Chestnut and White Bean Puree with Guanciale and Caramelized Pear
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 13 hr 20 min
- Prep: 40 min
- Inactive: 12 hr
- Cook: 40 min
Ingredients
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry cannellini or other white beans, soaked in water overnight
6 black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, halved
1 1/2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1/2 white onion
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
Sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 cup chestnuts, roasted and shelled
4 ounces guanciale, cut into lardons
5 Comice pears, diced, reserved in water with juice of 1 lemon
1 baguette, sliced into 20 pieces
Directions
- Combine the stock, beans, peppercorns, garlic, 1 sprig rosemary, the bay leaf, carrots and onions in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and slowly cook until the beans are tender. Drain and reserve 3/4 cup of the liquid. Discard the rosemary, bay leaf and carrots.
- Puree the beans, half the reserved liquid and the chestnuts in a food processor or blender until smooth, using additional liquid if necessary. Finish with the olive oil and some salt.
- Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the guanciale and 2 tablespoons water. Cook slowly until the water evaporates, and then caramelize the guanciale. Remove the guanciale and reserve the fat. Add the pears to the pan and cook until tender, and then drain.
- Brush the baguette slices with olive oil and toast. Assemble each bruschetta with a spoonful of the puree, caramelized guanciale and pears, and garnish with the remaining rosemary.