Cannellini Beans , the pride of Tuscany, are usually a staple in my cupboard. In summer with a dash of olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, sprinkle with salt and a grinding of pepper they are a base for a lunchtime salad. Add add herbs and salad vegetables as you desire. In winter I toss a handful of cooked beans into soups and stews. I envy those who can buy them fresh, not an option in New Zealand yet, at least not where I live. In the absence of fresh beans I buy dried beans and soak them overnight. The following day they take a couple of hours to cook but I usually cook up a batch and use them over the next few days. You could use canned beans for the soup but the better canned ones can be expensive.
Last week I soaked and cooked up a packet of dried beans for a couple of recipes.
WHITE BEAN SOUP
Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cooked cannellini beans
2 cups chicken stock or water
Salt and pepper to season
Method
Soften onion in the oil.
Add garlic and fry but do not brown.
Add beans and stock or water.
Simmer 15 minutes.
Check for taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve in bowls and drizzle with good quality olive oil.
Serves 4 people.
........and home made baked beans.
Probably not something you'd bother making unless it was cold and wet and the idea of staying at home and baking something really slowly in the oven seems like a good thing to do.....and it would keep the house warm at the same time.
HOME MADE BAKED BEANS
1 cup dried cannellini beans (soak in water overnight)
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
250 grams bacon diced
2 chorizo sausages sliced
2 x 400 gr cans of tomatoes in tomato juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
Salt and pepper to season
Set oven at 100 degrees Celsius (212F).
Drain beans from soaking water. Cover beans with fresh water and bring to the boil on top of the stove and cook for 1 hour. Remove from stove . Add a teaspoon of salt and let sit until you are ready to use beans.
Place a large fire proof casserole dish on top of stove and fry the onions and bacon until onions have softened and bacon has cooked. Add garlic and cook until you can smell the aroma of the garlic. Do not brown the garlic or it will cause a bitter taste.
Drain beans and add to the pot. Add the chorizo, tomatoes, tomato paste and bring to the boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Cover casserole with lid and place in the oven for the afternoon. Stir a couple of times during the afternoon. Mine were in the oven for about 4 hours.
What you don't eat for dinner that night can be reheated and served on toast with grated cheese for breakfast.
I used a cast iron pot but I'm sure a crockery or glass one would work just as well. Traditional baked beans have sugar and often treacle or molasses added, but really, do you need all that sugar and extra calories.
