Idaho® Potato and White Bean Purée

Recipe courtesy of Gerald Hirigoyen, executive chef of the Piperade in San Francisco, California.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, thickly sliced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 cup rendered duck fat or olive oil
2 cups dried white beans, soaked in water 8 to 10 hours minimum or overnight
1/2 pound Idaho® russet potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 small potatoes)
10 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt (if using commercially prepared stock, use 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
25 to 30 Spanish arbequina olives, pitted, puréed in a blender with 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (kalamata olives may be substituted)

Cooking Directions:

1. In large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté onion, garlic and rosemary in duck fat or olive oil until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Rinse soaked beans in colander under cold running water.
3. Add beans, potatoes, stock, salt and pepper to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cook uncovered until beans are soft and tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer soup to blender; purée on high speed 1 minute. Return to saucepan; bring to boil.
5. Ladle soup into bowls. Spoon olive purée into small squeeze bottle or plastic bag with one corner snipped; squeeze a swirl onto each portion.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the Idaho Potato Commission.