Wild Cat Mint and Parsley Marinated Lupini Beans
Lupini beans, which are native to Italy and are an essential stable in Mediterranean cuisine, have a luscious creaminess with a slight bitterness due to their high alkaloid content. Amongst all beans, they have the highest protein content (win, win, win). These beans also were noted to be a popular snack among ancient Romans. Didn’t someone once say “Do as the Romans do?” So let’s take snacking to the next level and add these marinated lupini beans to the mix. These creamy beans go well with some toasty, earthy whole grain bread and a touch of fat and smokiness, like speck or prosciutto. This before dinner? During dinner? After dinner? All of the above.
I’d like to note that I chose to use dried lupini beans and go through the process of prepping and cooking them myself. While it is a long process (the beans need to be cooked for at least 6 hours and then their water needs to be changed and salted daily over a period of about 10 days), I found it rewarding. If you have any questions about the cooking process, feel free to reach out to me! However, no judgement here if you choose to buy canned lupini beans.
Total time: 25 minutes
Active time: 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
2 cups of lupini beans, rinsed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp pinot grigio vinegar
2 tbsp of finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup wild cat mint, finely chopped (substitute with spearmint if necessary)
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients except for the beans. Let sit for 2-3 minutes.
Add the lupini beans and let them marinade for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve them on their own, or with toast, tossed into a salad, with pasta, or a runny egg.