VeggieTalk

OK, please indulge me—here’s one more photo from my recent trip to Paris. This is a display of tomatoes at Le Grand Epicerie, a major food emporium connected with the department store Bon Marche. The tomatoes were on the expensive side, but I thought that most of the produce was quite inexpensive compared to what I pay here—about half the cost for twice the quality.

Here’s a fast dish of beans and tomatoes that will have you eating in no time. This goes well with a simple preparation of pasta with broccoli or any grain dish, and a salad of greens, orange sections, and slivered almonds. The recipe is adapted from my book, The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet.

Cannellini with Fresh and Dried Tomatoes

6 servings

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-cured or not), cut into strips
• Two 16-ounce cans cannellini (large white beans), drained and rinsed
• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ripe flavorful fresh tomatoes, diced
• 3 to 4 basil leaves, sliced into thin strips, or 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

If using non-oil cured dried tomatoes, soak them in hot water for about 10 minutes and drain.

Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and cook gently until heated through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Or, combine the ingredients in a heatproof container, cover, and microwave until heated through, about 5 minutes, and serve.