I’ve been thinking about getting more beans and lentils in my life lately, then came across a couple of recipes online using butter beans and this was the result. I love butter beans and I really loved this! So much flavour from the roasted tomatoes and garlic, and the slow-cooked caramelised onions, with the pickled red onions adding some zip and a bit of crunch. Served at room temperature, it’s easy to make ahead and serve as a side dish or, as I did, have it as a main course for lunch. I used alubias granjas, a massive white bean from the north of Spain. Enjoy!

Ingredients & instructions below…

• 2 med-large sweet onions
• butter & olive oil (50/50)
• splash of sherry vinegar
• 2-3 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 head of garlic
• extra virgin olive oil
• s & p
• 1  560 gr jar butter beans (400 gr drained)
• handful of fresh arugula
• bit of lime-pickled red onion
• finely shredded parmesan (microplane)

Finely slice the sweet onions and sautée in a 50/50 butter and olive oil mixture until caramalised to your satisfaction (this usually takes me well over an hour, but it’s up to you). When done to your liking, give them a splash of sherry vinegar to deglaze the pan and then set aside.

Preheat the air fryer. Place the tomato wedges on baking paper in the air fryer, drizzle with evoo, season with s & p. Cut the end off the garlic bulb, splash some evoo inside, loosely wrap in aluminum foil and put in the air fryer basket with the tomatoes. Roast at 195ºC for 15 minutes, then stir up the tomatoes a bit and cook for another 15 minutes. Check that the garlic is super soft, if not place it back in the oven on its own for a few more minutes. Let everything cool. If you like you can take the tomato peels off at this point.

Squeeze the garlic cloves out and onto the tomatoes and mix together with the caramelised onions. Put everything into a bowl, add the beans, arugula and pickled red onions, mix well. Adjust seasoning if you need to. Serve at room temperature with a dusting of parmesan snow.