In the Kitchen with Sigona’s Featuring: Romano Beans
Sautéed Romano Beans and Heirloom Tomatoes with Garlic Oil and Oregano Balsamic
Using our infused oils and balsamics gives dishes more layers of flavor without adding more ingredients. We like to keep it simple so the flavor of the fresh produce shines when amplified by a supportive cast of herbs and seasoning. Garlic oil and oregano balsamic pack a fantastic punch of flavor for these meaty, juicy Italian beans. Serves 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Romano beans, ends trimmed, beans sliced on the diagonal into 2” pieces
- 3 Tbsp. Sigona’s Garlic Oil, divided
- 1 small shallot, sliced
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- About 1 cup heirloom cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
- 1 tsp. Sigona’s Oregano Balsamic
- Optional: Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until the shallot has softened but hasn’t browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the shallots from the pan, leaving oil in the skillet.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until beans have browned but are crisp-tender.
Add the tomatoes and cooked shallots to the skillet. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring gently, then remove from heat.
Drizzle the oregano balsamic over the mixture and gently toss to coat. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve at room temperature.
Charred Romano Beans with a Creamy Tarragon Dressing
Romano beans are longer, wider and flatter than a regular green bean, such as a Blue Lake bean. Romanos are meaty and juicy, and do well when paired with other strong flavors as they have a mild taste. This creamy tarragon dressing provides an herbaceous, citrusy note to the summery char on the beans. Adapted from Cooking Light. Serves 2 to 4.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt (such as 2% Fage)
- 2 Tbsp. whole buttermilk
- 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon, plus more for garnish
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp. Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil (For another layer of flavor, check out our infused oils, such as Meyer Lemon Fusion, Herbs de Provence or one with a little kick for some spice.)
- 1/2 lb. Romano beans, ends trimmed
Directions: In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, buttermilk, tarragon, lemon juice salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the beans with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (more on the high side). When hot, add the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re lightly charred in spots, but the beans are tender-crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the beans from the heat and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon the yogurt-tarragon sauce over the beans and serve.
Pasta alla Genovese with Romano Beans
Pasta alla Genovese is a rustic northern Italian dish made with simple ingredients, but the flavor is out of this world. The trick to making something simple yet flavorful is using fresh, local ingredients. Making your own pesto, for example, will make all the difference. Another trick to this dish is to use a heavy hand when salting the water. Potatoes and pasta are bland ingredients; the only way to get flavor into the two ingredients is to season the water before adding boiling them. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced into rounds 1/4-inch thick
- Kosher salt
- 1 lb. long pasta, such as capellini, fettuccine, linguini, etc. (Sigona’s has a wide range of fresh, locally made pastas as well as dry pasta from which to choose.)
- About 1/2 to 3/4 lb. Romano beans, ends trimmed, beans sliced to pieces 2- to 3-inches long
- 4 to 6 oz. basil pesto, store-bought or make your own (recipe follows)
Directions: Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add potatoes and boil for 10 minutes or until tender but not falling apart. Using a slotted spoon, remove the potatoes to a plate and set aside.
To the boiling water, add pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Add beans to the pasta and continue to cook pasta and beans until pasta is al dente. Reserving about a cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and beans then place in a large bowl.
Add pesto to the pasta and toss well to coat. Add in a little of the reserved pasta water at a time, up to 4 tablespoons, to thin the pesto and make more of a sauce. Add the sliced potatoes and gently toss to coat in the pesto. Transfer to a serving dish; serve warm.
Basic Basil Pesto
- One or two large bunches of basil (about 2 cups packed leaves)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted until golden and then cooled (optional)
- 2 cloves of garlic, more or less depending on how much garlic you like
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
Directions: Combine the basil in with the pine nuts in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Add the garlic and pulse a few more times.
Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Pause to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula once in a while to make sure all ingredients get mixed. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sheet Pan Pesto Salmon with Roasted Romano Beans and Burst Tomatoes
Pesto on Romano beans, not to mention the salmon, adds a fantastic burst of fresh flavor. This meal is complete with just a handful of ingredients and only uses one pan. Easy weeknight dinner? You got it! If you use a vegan pesto, such at Gina’s, found at Sigona’s, this meal remains dairy-free. Inspired by Nom Nom Paleo. Serves 2.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 to 3/4 lb. Romano beans, ends trimmed
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (a mixture adds nice variation of color to the meal)
- 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp, divided, Sigona’s Meyer Lemon Fusion Olive Oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 salmon filets, such as wild, line-caught salmon available at Sigona’s
- At least 1/3 cup basil pesto, such as Gina’s (vegan) Pesto, available at Sigona’s
- A couple wedges of fresh lemon, for serving
Directions: Preheat oven to 450°F.
Place beans and tomatoes on a sheet pan; drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Toss beans and tomatoes to coat well, then push ingredients to both sides of the pan, making room for the salmon.
Pat the salmon filets with a paper towel. Rub each filet with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the filets to the middle of the pan at least 2 inches apart.
Roast for about 20 minutes, or until salmon is cooked, flipping beans half way through.
After salmon is cooked, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of pesto to the top of each filet and dot remaining pesto on the roasted vegetables.
Serve the salmon and vegetables with a wedge of lemon.
Romano Beans with Burrata, Roasted Eggplant, Fresh Basil and Sigona’s Garlic Oil
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- One large eggplant about 1 ¼pounds, diced into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt to taste, plus more for cooking beans
- 2/3 cup Sigona’s garlic olive oil more as needed for drizzling
- About 3/4 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 3/4 cup sweet mini peppers about 5 or 6 peppers, halved, seeded and chopped
- 1 pound Romano beans sliced on the bias into 1- to 2-inch pieces; ends discarded
- 1 Tbsp capers drained
- 1/4 cup torn fresh basil
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Two 3.5 oz ea. or one (8 oz ea.) ball of burrata cheese
- Warmed or toasted naan bread for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Place the diced eggplant in a colander and set in the sink. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and let stand for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally.
- Dump eggplant out onto a clean kitchen towel. Pat the pieces dry; if quite damp, wrap the eggplant in the towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- On a rimmed baking sheet, two if necessary, toss eggplant with 1/3 cup garlic olive oil and spread out in a single layer so no pieces are touching. Place in the oven to roast, flipping twice, until pieces are golden brown and skin has crisped slightly, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the Romano beans and cook for 3 to 6 minutes until just tender. Drain well and immediately pop into an ice bath. Once cooled to the touch, slice the beans at an angle into 1-inch pieces and place in a large bowl with the tomatoes, peppers and 3 tablespoons garlic olive oil.
- Add roasted eggplant and 2 more tablespoons garlic oil to the bowl; stir to combine. Add the capers, basil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- When ready to serve, set the ball of burrata in the center of a large serving dish. Scoop the salad into a ring around the cheese and drizzle the whole dish with a little more garlic olive oil. Slice open the burrata and serve the dish with warm or toasted naan bread. Spread some of the burrata on the naan and top with the vegetables. Pair with a pinot noir, Syrah or Chianti.
