Ugly is Beautiful

One of our favorite flavor combinations is white beans, onions, and artichokes. Ann asked me if I could make a soup of white beans, caramelized onions, and artichoke hearts. It turned out to be delicious, but it's not something that I could have ever served at the restaurant. This dish is definitely an ugly duckling.

White Bean, Caramelized Onion, and Artichoke Purée

As the old saw goes, "people eat first with their eyes." This soup, while really delicious, is not much in the looks department to the point of looking somewhat unappetizing.

Cooked Peruano/Mayocoba Beans

Two Kilos/Four Pounds of Onions to be Caramelized

All Those Onions Cook Down to This

After caramelizing the onions, I added two liters of white beans (500 grams dry before cooking), a kilo of artichoke hearts, the zest of a lemon, a bit of salt, and four liters of water. This simmered for twenty minutes before I knocked it down with the immersion blender and seasoned it to taste.

Delicious flavors, but ungainly looks. It's OK. This is home cooking.