Beans... The Best!
Okay, "the best" is a relative thing, but this is the method used nearly always in my kitchen. No hovering over a pot, checking and adjusting temperature. Just get everything in a dish/pot, prep and set in the oven.
The results will speak for themselves, creamy in texture and rich in flavor, not to mention the whole kitchen will fill with those great smells of garlic and herbs..
• Prep: 10 hours (Includes soaking.)
• Cook Time: 1 hour +
•Serves: 8
Ingredients:
• 1 pound (450g) dry cannellini(or other type of beans)
• 3-5 garlic cloves, unpeeled, the nipple sliced off.
• 3-5 sprigs rosemary(or thyme, sage, etc.)
• 1-2 bay leafs
• A good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher or sea salt
Directions
• Soak the beans in plenty of cold water for 8-10 hours., covering by a few inches to allow for when beans
expand.
• Boil a few cups of water, and set oven at 330º-3335ºF.
• Drain and rinse the beans well, then place them in a casserole, cazuela(as seen above) or medium
ovenproof pot with a lid. (No lid, no worries. Just use aluminum foil, making sure to secure it with a tight fit,
running finger around the edge of the pot/dish.)
• Give a good drizzle of olive oil, add a few good pinches of salt, toss to coat. Tuck in the herbs and bay.
• Cover the beans by a finger or two of boiling water, then cover snugly with foil or lid.
• Place dish/pot in oven, checking the beans at the 1 hour mark. (Depending on the age of your beans, they'll
probably take an additional 10-15 minutes more. But, i like to check to make sure where they are in the
process.)
• When just al dente remove from oven, press the garlic against the side of the pan with a fork to remove from
the skin, mash slightly, stirring into the broth.
• Remove bay and discard, leave or remove herbs as you like.
• Serve as is with a drizzle more olive oil on top, along with some crusty bread. Or, drain off broth and toss
with more olive oil to use as side dish. for soup or to make hummus.
Note: Remember to save the liquid if draining, as it's a great addition to sauces, soups or stews.
Beans... The Basic
Ingredients:
•1 cup dried beans(white, black, pinto, etc.)
•1 tsp. kosher salt + extra
•Water
•1 small carrot, peeled, chopped in 1/3s
•1 full stem celery, washed, chopped in 1/3s
•1 smal onion, peeled, quartered
•2 Bay leafs
*3-4 sprigs of aromatics(thyme, rosemary, etc.)
Directions:
•Set beans in deep bowl, cover with 2” inches with cool water, add 1 tsp. Kosher salt.
•Cover, let soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
•Drain, rinse thoroughly.
•Place in a med. sized, heavy bottom pot, cover with water about 2” above beans.
•Add onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and aromatics(optional).
•Cover pot, bring to a boil over med. heat.
•Uncover, reduce heat, and low-simmer until beans are tender and creamy, about 1 hour. (Check every 10-15 mins. after this, as different beans have different density, cooking times.)
•Remove from heat, discard the veg and herbs.
•Drain liquid, reserving for other use such as to enhance soups.
•Toss in olive oil, taste, adjust salt.
•Allow to cool if not eating right away. Can be stored in tightly sealed container for up to 5-7 days.
No-Soak Beans
Ingredients:
•1 cup dried beans(white, black, pinto, etc.)
•1 tsp. kosher salt + extra
•Water
•1 small carrot, peeled, chopped in 1/3s
•1 full stem celery, washed, chopped in 1/3s
•1 smal onion, peeled, quartered
•2 Bay leafs
*3-4 sprigs of aromatics(thyme, rosemary, etc.)
Directions:
•Place beans in a large, heavy pot. Cover with water about 2” above top of beans.
•Add onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and aromatics(optional).
•Cover pot, bring to a low boil, then remove from heat.
•Let rest 1 hour with lid still on.
•Drain, rinse thoroughly.
•Again add water to 2” above the beans
•Cover pot, bring to a boil over med. heat.
•Uncover, reduce heat, and low-simmer until beans are tender and creamy, about 1 hour. (Check every 10-15 mins. after this, as different beans have different density, cooking times.)
•Remove from heat, discard the veg and herbs.
•Drain liquid, reserving for other use such as to enhance soups.
•Toss in olive oil, taste, adjust salt.
•Allow to cool if not eating right away. Can be stored in tightly sealed container for up to 5-7 days.
Red Lentil Curry with Kale and Cauliflower
Prep time: 30 mins.
Cooking time: 30 mins.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive
- 1 med onion, diced
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3- inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1-2 Serrano or Fresno chili pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 oz. tomato paste
- One 15-ounce can unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- 2 cups chicken(or veg) stock
- 1 1/4 cup red lentils
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1” flowerettes
- 1 bunch kale, cleaned and rough chopped with ribs intact
- Juice and zest of 3 limes + 1 lime quartered
- 1 bunch cilantro, cleaned and rough chopped
- 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled and lightly broken with thumb
- Plain yogurt
Instructions
- In a small sauté pan, toast seeds over low-med heat; about 5-7 mins.
- After cool, grind seeds well with mortar and pestle. (You can also buy already ground spice.)
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil.
- Sauté the onion over medium-high heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, chili, cumin, fennel, coriander and turmeric. Cook until very fragrant, 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and salt, stiring occasionally, allowing paste to cook , but not scorch; about 5 mins.
- Add the coconut milk and stock, scraping whatever “bits” have stuck to bottom of pan.
- Bring to a light boil over med-high heat.
- Add cauliflower, stir to cover. Cook for 5-10 mins.
- Stir in the lentils and kale and reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer.
- Cook until the lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the lentils from scorching.
- Add lime juice and zest, stir to mix
- Serve with steamed brown rice, topped generously with cilantro, pistachios and lime wedge, Plus, a dollop of yogurt(optional).
Note: This recipe can easily be doubled!
"Gigante" Beans with Roasted Butternut and Lacinato Kale
Prep Time: 40 mins.
Cooking Time: 1 hr.
Serves: 4(as Main)-6(as Side Dish)
Ingredients:
•1 cup Gigante or butter beans
•1 small onion, peeled and quarter
•1 small carrot, peeled and cut in 4ths
•1 branch celery, cut in 4ths
•1-2 bay leaves
•3-4 fresh herb sprigs(thyme, rosemary, etc.)(Optional)
•Kosher salt
•One 1-2 lb. butternut squash
•Olive oil
•Zest of 1 lemon, save rest of lemon for later
•1 bunch Lacinato kale
•2-3 garlic cloves
•1 tbsp fresh herbs, rough chopped
•Red chili flakes(Optional)
Instructions:
•Set beans in deep bowl/container, cover with 2” inches with cool water, add 1 tsp. Kosher salt.
•Cover, let soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
•Drain, rinse thoroughly.
•Place in a med. sized, heavy bottom pot, cover with water about 2” above beans.
•Add onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and herb sprigs(optional).
•Cover pot, bring to a low boil, then reducce heat immediately.
•Uncover and low-simmer until beans are tender and creamy, about 1 hour. (Check every 10-15 mins. after this, as different beans have different density, cooking times.)
•Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375º.
•Then, peel, split and seed squash. Cut into 1”-2” cubes, place in medium mixing bowl, hit with a good drizzle of olive oil, couple-few pinches of salt, lemon zest, toss thoroughly to coat. Place evenly on foil lined rimmed baking sheet, bake about 30 mins. or until easily pierced with pairing knife.
•At the halfway point, add the kale leaves that have been rinsed, stripped from the stems, sliced into 1/2” ribbons across. Litter about the squash, loosely stir ti mix. (Repeat this a couple times in the remains minutes, helps to keep kale form getting too crispy.
•When beans are just al dente remove from heat, discard the veg, bay and herbs.
•Drain liquid, reserving for other use such as to enhance soups.
•Toss in olive oil, taste, adjust salt.
•Slide into large mixing bowl, add chopped herbs, toss gently to combine.
•Once squash and kale are done, add them with a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of half the reserved lemon, folding them in to combine.
•Adjust salt and pepper to taste, maybe a pinch or two of chili flakes.
•Platter, serve.
Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric
Added a few tweaks, but this Alison Roman classic didn't need much. Layers of flavors, not a whole lot of effort. Good to impress friends on the weekend or to knock out a dinner for the family on a Tuesday.
(Serves: 4)
Ingredients…
•1/2 tsp fennel seeds
•1/2 tsp coriander seeds
•1/2 tsp cumin seeds
•¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
•4 garlic cloves, chopped
•1 yellow onion, chopped
•1 (2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped or grated
•2-3 yams(or sweet potatoes), peeled and chopped into olive sized chunks
•4 cups homemade chickpeas, drained and rinsed(see recipe above)
•Kosher salt and black pepper
•1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric, plus more for serving
•1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
•2 Bay leaves
•1 bunch rinsed Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, roughly chopped in strips. Set aside.
•Remaining stems, rough chopped, set aside.
•2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
•2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
•a large splash(1-2 tspn) of cider vinegar
•1 cup mint and/or cilantro leaves, for serving
•Yogurt, for serving (optional)
•2-3 limes, cut into large wedges.
•Toasted pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving (optional)
Notes: 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed can be used in place of homemade.
Save chickpea liquid, use in soups or add to red sauce for added flavor and nutrition. Last thing, already ground spices are easy to find, easy to use if preferred.
Instructions…
•Warm Dutch oven or heavy pot on stove to med, add seeds, toast for a few minutes, shaking pan periodically. (Be careful not to burn.)
•Remove, allow to cool, then grind with mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
•Add next 4 ingredients to pan, sauté stirring occasionally until slightly soft, about 4-5 mins.
•Add chickpeas, allowing them to slightly crisp.
•Once crispy, remove a cup of mixture for topping.
•Lightly crush remaining 1/3 of chickpeas.
•Add yams, stir to coat and combine .
•Add turmeric, red pepper flakes , a few good pinches salt and a few grinds of pepper + spices already toasted/ground before.
•Add chopped stems, stir to combine.
•Add broth, coconut milk and vinegar.
•Low simmer for 25-30, until thickened.
•Add greens, cooking to wilt.
•Taste, adjust salt and pepper.
•Top with reserved chickpeas, yogurt, mint/cilantro and drizzle of olive oil,
•Serve with a wedge of lime + pita, flatbread or lavash for bowl dipping and cleaning
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Ginger, Turmeric and Cumin
Prep time: 20 mins.
Cooking time: 60 mins.
Serves: 4-5(as Main), 7-8(as Side Dish)
Ingredients…
- 1 med-large head cauliflower, rinsed and trimmed of greens
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Kosher salt
- 6-8 large garlic cloves, peeled end trimmed
Lentils…
- 3 tablespoons olive
- 1 onion, peeled and finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups French green lentils
- 2-3 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions:
•Preheat oven to 375º.
•In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, ginger, turmeric, cumin and 1/2 tsp of salt.
•Place cauliflower upside down on cutting board, tuck garlic cloves into crevices between branches, using a pairing knife to gently open space if needed.
•Set cauliflower in bowl with spice mixture, and using hands slather it completely.
•Place on small rimmed baking dish or foil lined rimmed baking sheet.
•Bake for 55-60 mins. or until easily pierced with pairing knife. Turn at the halfway point, check donees at 45 mins. Remove.
•While cauliflower roasts, place a large saucepan over medium heat and add oil.
•When hot, add chopped vegetables and sauté until softened, 5 to 10 minutes.
•Add lentils, thyme, bay leaves and a couple of pinches salt, plus 4 cups water.
•Bring to a low-boil, then reduce to simmer.
•Simmer lentils until they are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
(If needed, add a little boiling water to bring up water level to cover.)
•Strain off liquids, drizzle lentils with olive oil, salt to taste.
•To plate, scoop a few large serving spoonfuls evenly on a platter. Carefully place hot cauliflower in center, drizzle with a touch more olive oil. Slice wedges to serve.
Harissa Roasted Indian Eggplant with Chic Peas and Mint on Ginger-Garlic Yogurt
Prep time: 30 mins.
Cooking time: 30 mins.
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
•16-18 Indian(Baby) Eggplants
•1 cup harissa(Recipe in “Condiments”)
•2 cups plain Greek yogurt
•2 large cloves garlic, pealed, finely grated
•One 2” nub of ginger, finely grated
•1-2 cups chic peas(Recipe above.)
•Zest of 1 lemon
•1 cup whole cilantro leaves
•1/2 cup chiffonade of mint leaves
•Olive oil
•Kosher salt
•Pita wrapped in parchment and foil, for serving
Instructions:
•Preheat oven to 375º.
•Rinse and pat dry eggplants, remove stems and slice in half lengthwise.
•In a large mixing bowl, toss eggplants with 3/4 cups of the harissa.
•Spread evenly on foil lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake fo 20-25 mins. or until easily pierced with pairing knife.
•In small bowl, mix together garlic, ginger, drizzle of olive oil and pinch or two of salt. Set aside.
•Once eggplant is done, remove, turn off oven, replace with wrapped pita.
•Now lather platter with yogurt, place eggplants randomly about, sprinkle chic peas in same way, drizzle reserved harissa over all.
•Grate lemon zest about the platter then litter with cilantro and mint.
•Pull out warm pita.
•Serve.
Ratatouille Redux
Serves: 4 as starter, 2 as dinner
Ingredients:
•3-4 red bell peppers
•1-2 small eggplant
•2 large green courgette
•2 large yellow courgette
•2-3 medium tomatoes(Early Girls, Roma, etc.), seeded and rough chopped
•6 oz fresh goat cheese
•1 tbsp capers, rinsed and rough chopped
•2 tsp chopped herbs(basil, thyme, mint, etc.)
•2 tbsp unsalted butter
•1 cup breadcrumbs
•1 clove garlic
•1 tbsp flat leaf parsley + extra for plating
•olive oil
•Kosher salt
•chili flakes
Instructions:
•Take your preferred baking dish, cazuela or casserole, olive oil the interior. Set aside.
•Prop red peppers on low stove flame, turning as skin chars. When pepper is completely charred, place in med. bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. (If no gas stove is available, roast in 450º oven, turning as skins brown.)
•Set oven at 375º.
•Cube eggplant in 1/2” pieces, place in large mixing bowl, drizzle well with olive oil and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Tossed to coat.
•Spread egg plant evenly on foil lined baking sheet, roast for 20+ mins., stirring a couple of times until browned. Remove, set aside.
•Chop both ends of courgette, then carefully slice lengthwise pieces, discarding the first and last slice bearing the outer skin. (Note: Can do this with a mandolin, just be sure to not make them too thin, as they’ll not hold up to roasting.)
•Place slices flat on foil lined baking sheet(s), drizzle with olive oil, turn to coat, sprinkle with Kosher salt. Set sheet(s) in oven, bake until just pliable(about 12-15 mins.)
•In a sauté pan, melt butter on med. heat, finely grate garlic with micro planer, stirring to combine. Once garlic has cooked through(5 mins.), add breadcrumbs, parsley and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine, remove from heat, set aside.
•Once cool enough to handle, uncover plastic from peppers, remove charred outer skin as wells stem and seeds from inside. (This is normally an imperfect act, things sticking to fingers. Be patient, fight the impulse to rinse in water. You’ll loose flavor! Try a paper towel, it may help.)
•Place peppers in food processor or Vitamix, add a pinch of salt and one of red pepper flakes, then with motor running drizzle just enough oil to allow for a smooth blending. Pour contents into baking dish. Set aside.
•In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, whip goat cheese with a couple pinches of salt and a good drizzle of olive oil until well mixed, peaks form(5 mins). Slow to low speed, fold in herbs, capers, tomatoes and finally the eggplant, just until combined. Scoop into small bowl, set aside.
•Now, lets build these suckers! Once courgette are cool enough to handle, spoon about a teaspoon of the goat cheese on one end, then roll gently to close. Place on purée, alternating by color. Sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs. Bake until until dish is warmed through, breadcrumbs are golden.(About 20 mins.)
•To plate: Remove a couple to few pieces to a side plate so you can get to the sauce, then scoop a bit and smear on serving plate. Set on a few pieces of courgette, alternating colors, drizzle with olive oil, hit with extra parsley. Done.
Note: For easy breadcrumbs, see recipe in the Condiment section.
Classic Ratatouille
- PREP TIME: 30 minutes
- COOK TIME: 60 minutes
- SERVES: 5-6
Ingredients:
- 1-2 med. eggplant, cut into 1” cubes
- 2 med. onions, rough chopped
- 2 sweet bell peppers, cut into 1” pieces
- 3-4 courgette, cut into 1” pieces
- 6-8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 ripe medium tomatoes, seeded, rough chopped
- Red chili flakes
- Olive Oil
- Kosher or Sea salt, cracked black pepper
- Dry white wine(optional)
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, rough chopped
- Chifonade of 1 tbsp basil, for serving
Directions
- Pour a good drizzle of olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on med-high heat. Toss eggplant with a couple pinches of salt, add to Dutch oven, and cook until golden. Stir gently and frequently to avoid sticking. (May need to do in batches, to not crowd the pan.) Remove with a slotted spoon, set aside.
- Adding another drizzle of oil as needed to pan, then toss in the onions. Stir to coat, cook for 6-8 mins.
- Add bell peppers, stir to combine, cook for 5 mins. Repeat process with courgette and garlic.
- Now add tomatoes, a couple pinches of salt plus a couple of pinches of chili flakes, a turn or two of cracked pepper, a healthy splash of white wine(if using), then add the eggplant, folding it in gently.
- Bring to low-simmer, cook uncovered until all is cooked though, but still firm(about 20-25 mins.)
- Stir in parsley, taste, adjust seasoning.
- Remove to serving bowl, let rest for 20+ mins.
- When ready to serve, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle reserved basil over all.
Note: Can be served warm or “room temp”, but take the time to allow for cooling down. Worth the wait.