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You’ll quickly be transported to a bustling Turkish city while you eat this salad. The white bean salad has a fresh flavour from the dill which coupled with the wonderful tanginess of Ezme Mezze makes it an inviting summer dish. Simple to put together, the creamy white beans and eggs are countered by the crunchy, bright flavours of the onion and cherry tomatoes.
3 eggs
2 x 400g tin cannellini beans
2 ½ tbsp Crete Gold Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 small red onion, peeled
1 lemon
½tsp sumac
Salt and pepper
Pinch of sugar
225g cherry tomatoes, stalk removed and washed
20g fresh dill
4tbsp Ezme Mezze
Place a small pan of water on a high heat and bring to the boil. Make a small hole in the bottom of each of the eggs with the tip of a small sharp knife or pin, then add to the boiling water and cook for 9 minutes, stirring frequently for the first 3 minutes and making sure they are covered with water the entire time. When cooked, remove from the hot water and place in a bowl of ice-cold water or leave under cold running water for 4 minutes, until completely cold. Peel the shell from the eggs then keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Drain the beans in a sieve or colander and if the liquid is particularly sticky and thick, rinse under cold water, then allow to drain. Tip the beans into a mixing bowl. Finely chop or push the garlic through a press and add to the beans. Zest the lemon with a fine grater or mircoplane over the beans, then season with salt, pepper and 2 tbsp olive oil. You can leave the beans to marinate like this for a few hours if you have time.
Cut the onion in half and slice into thin strips. Place in a small bowl, season well with salt and mix to combine. Leave for 5 minutes, then cover with very cold or ice water for 10 minutes. Doing this makes the onions crisp up and takes some of the sting out of their flavour, but if you want to save time you can skip this. Drain the water, then add juice of half a lemon, the sumac and a good pinch of sugar and mix well to allow the flavours to combine. This can be done ahead of time if needed, as it allows the onions to marinate.
When ready to serve, cut the cherry tomatoes into halves and finely chop the dill, leaving a few of the tips for garnishing. Add the tomatoes, dill, half of the onions and 1 tbsp olive oil to the beans and mix well to combine. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Arrange the beans on a large shallow serving bowl or plate then top with small spoonsful of the ezme paste. Add the remaining onions, then cut the eggs into quarters and arrange on top and finish with the reserved pieces of dill.