Tinned fish and dried beans are staples in my pantry. Here I used canned beans for a quick appetizer or easy lunch. Serve with toasted bread and endives for scooping.
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, plus more
- 1/2 medium onion, diced (1/2 cup)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans such as Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (3.75-ounce) tin wild-caught unsalted sardines in water, drained and chopped
- 1/2 avocado, chopped
- 1 Persian cucumber, chopped (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped dill
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned and softened. Stirring occasionally and reducing the heat if browning too quickly. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds more. Turn off heat and add the beans, swirling the skillet carefully to combine the flavors. Allow to cool while chopping the other ingredients.
Add the sardines, avocado, cucumber, parsley, dill, lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon), and bean mixture into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons), 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 2 teaspoons of mustard together. Pour the mixture over the other ingredients and gently stir to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. To serve, drizzle with a bit more olive oil and red pepper flakes.