White Beans and Leeks on Toast

By cristinasciarra • December 1, 2011 • 1 Comments

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Author Notes: This is a shameless example of me topping toast with Delicious Things I Like to Eat. Can you blame me? Butter, leeks and white beans--it's a pretty winning combination. Finished with a thin slice of fruity, aged Gouda and some lemon zest, it's not terrible. - cristinasciarra

Food52 Review: I must confess, I was rather skeptical testing this dish. Beans on toast served as an elegant party appetizer? Making the topping is simple and straightforward; simple, easy-to-find ingredients, heaped generously onto thin slices of toasted baguette and topped with a sliver of Gouda and lemon zest. The ‘Anton Ego’ effect hits you two seconds after the first bite. The beans are creamy and marry perfectly with the mild sautéed leeks, the lemon juice and zest offer a hint of tartness. And the Gouda, I’m at a loss to describe what it does to the completed dish, the closest I can get is ‘utterly addictive.’ - Panfusine

Makes about 15 toasts

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 leeks, quartered, cleaned and sliced
1 can white beans
sea salt, freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
15 slices aged Gouda (aged Comté also works, or even Parmesan)
1 tablespoon lemon zest

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chopped leek, and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain the white beans. When the leeks are almost done, add them to the pan and heat through. After a few minutes, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Slice a baguette into thin rounds and lay them on a baking sheet. In a 300F oven, bake them for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. (You don't want to skip this step--untoasted bread does not hold heavy beans very well!)
Spoon the leek and white bean mixture onto the toasts. Top each with a thin slice of the aged Gouda, and a pinch of lemon zest.