Recipe - Grilled Fennel With Pecan Sauce

WHITE BEAN PUREE
One half pound Dried white broad beans
One fourth cup Plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
2 Onions; finely chopped
1 Lemon; Juice of
1 teaspoon Sugar
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
4 Bell peppers; in assorted
colors, such as red, yellow
and green
1 tablespoon Finely chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoon Olive oil
2 teaspoon Red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
6 ounce Feta cheese; cut into 6
(1/2inch by 2inch) squares
3 Roma tomatoes; cut or sliced up
Olive oil; for drizzling
Kalamata olives; for garnish

Place beans in a bowl, cover with water by a few inches, and soak
overnight. Heat One fourth cup of the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and saute
until soft and just golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and bring
to a boil. Drain the beans and add them to the saucepan. Cook over low heat
until beans are very soft, adding more water if needed, about 1 to 1 1/2
hours. (There should hardly be any liquid left when the beans are ready.)

Meanwhile, roast bell peppers over a gas flame or on a tray under the
broiler. Keep turning so the skin is evenly charred, without burning and
drying out the flesh. Transfer charred peppers to a plastic bag, tie the
top closed and let steam until cool to the touch, about 15 minutes. To peel
peppers, pull off the charred skin by hand and then dip the peppers briefly
in water to remove any blackened bits. (Do not peel the peppers under
running water since that would wash away the flavorful juices.) Once
peeled, cut away stems, seeds and veins, and slice peppers into strips.

Heat a grill. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, olive oil, vinegar, and
salt and pepper.

Cut six 12inch squares of aluminum foil. Divide pepper strips among center
of foil squares. Arrange one feta square atop peppers, along with tomato
slices, and drizzle reserved olive oil mixture over the top. Wrap foil
packets securely and place on grill or under the broiler. Grill until
packets are heated through, about 5 minutes.

When beans are ready, mash them with the back of a spoon to form a paste,
or place in a blender and process until smooth. Stir in the remaining 1
tablespoon olive oil. Season with the lemon juice, sugar, and salt and
pepper.

Spoon bean puree onto individual plates, and use a spatula to slip roasted
peppers, feta and tomatoes off of foil and onto puree. Drizzle with olive
oil, garnish with Kalamata olives, and serve with Retsina.
Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #1009 by Meg Antczak
meginny@frontiernet.net on Jan 14, 1998