Triage of Beans

I love beans, O the humble bean! 

Legumes are multifaceted and packed with nutrition, providing incomparable amounts of protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, and soluble fiber in one serving of food. And, when well prepared,  beans are absolutely delicious. Carbon dating suggests that bean cultivation began as early as 7000 B.C. with the natives of Mexico and Peru, and use of beans (lentils) in the Middle East began as early as 6500 B.C.  Having been cultivated for tens of thousands of years, it is no surprise that there are over 4,000 cultivars -- cultivated varieties -- of beans in North America alone. No wonder this magical legume is so versatile. Sadly though, its versatility is not often celebrated. Beans are typically thought of as just, well, beans.  Bland and boring. They have even gained, dare I say, infamy as causing flatulence? A shame indeed, considering the fact that flavorful carminatives -- herbs or drugs that prevent the formation of gas in the digestive system -- such as anise seed, basil, caraway, cardamon, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, ginger, golden rod, liquorish, marjoram, nutmeg, onion, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, saffron, spearmint, and thyme, can be added to recipes to not only add flavor but address the gaseous aftermath of consumption. The list of carminatives is not by any means meant to be an exhaustive or used solely with the preparation of beans. Now you have many reasons to say good-bye to Beano and enjoy each serving of beans.

Black Bean Dip

Ingredients

30 oz of organic black beans (2 cans, drained and raised) 

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil (preferable spanish import)

1 med. onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup chicken stock or broth

11/2 tsp. fresh chopped oregano

1 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. freshly crushed dried cumin seeds

Salt and freshly ground pepper

dollop of sour cream for garnish

Method

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the onions and saute for a minute.  Add the tomatoes, and reduce the heat to medium stirring occasionally.  Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about two minutes more.

2. Stir in the chicken broth or stock and the beans until thoroughly blended. Bring to a boil and cook 15 to 20 minutes. Add the chili power, cumin seed and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes more.  

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the oregano. Let sit at least five minutes before serving over rice or in a bread bowl, topped with a dollop of sour cream.  I believe taste of these beans is superb when eaten the next day and day after, when all of the flavors have come together.

4. To make the dip, after letting the beans sit at least five minutes, transfer half of the bean into a food processor. Pulse to blend, adding warmed chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached. Return the blended mixture to the saucepan with the beans and stir to mix well. As an hors d'œuvre, serve the beans in a bowl topped with chopped oregano and a side of corn chips or bread for dipping.

White Bean Puree

Ingredients 

1/2 cups olive oil, plus two Tablespoons

4 shallots, finely minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

30 oz organic northern white or cannellie (white kidney) beans (2 cans, drained and rinsed)

11/2 cup chicken broth

1 tsp. of chopped fresh sage

3 fresh chervil sprigs, chopped

3 fresh tarragon sprigs, chopped

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt, plus more as needed

fresh ground white pepper

parsley, chopped for garnish

Method

1.  In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until the shallot are translucent, above 3 minutes.  Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the beans.  Add one cup of the chicken broth and the fresh sage, and bring to a gentle broil.  Cook about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Remove the beans from heat.  Transfer half of the bean mixture to a food processor and pulse until a chunky mixture is formed. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the side of the food processor. With the food processor on, on low speed, pour the remaining olive oil through the feed tube into the process

or in a slow and steady stream.  Follow with the lemon juice. Add the chicken broth if needed, and process the mixture for 3 minutes until a fine and velvety-smooth puree forms.   

3. Transfer the puree to the remaining beans, and stir in the chervil and tarragon using a spatula. Add the salt and fresh ground pepper to test.  Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to develop.

4. Bring the bean puree to room temperature before serving.  Adjust and balance the flavors as needed by adding and mixing in more herbs and lemon juice to accent and highlight, not overwhelm, the bean flavor.  

5. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with chopped parsley for garnish.  Serve with crudités, crostini,

 bagel chips, warmed pita bread or pita chips.

Hummus

Ingredients

30 oz organic garbanzo bean (chickpeas) (2 cans, drained and rinsed)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 tahini (s

esame seed paste)

1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 Tbs.

5 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 salt, plus more as needed

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 Tbs. fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish

dash paprika for garnish

1/4 Kalamata or other black brined olive for garnish

Method

1. Combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt and cumin in the food processor and process until a soft and creamy paste forms.  Using the feed tube, gradually drizzle 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a slow and steady stream as the processor continues to process.  Process until a rich, loose and creamy consistency is reached. Adjust the acidity and add more salt to your taste as needed. Blend.

2. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Using a small rubber spatular, form a shallow well throughout the mixture. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and a dashed of paprika. Top with the olives and serve.  Serve with warmed pita bread or pita chips.

3. Hummus makes a delicious sandwich spread. It is not unheard of in our home to spread hummus between two pieces of bread as a light snack or a fend for yourself dinner. It is also tempting for a breakfast-wich. Remember to brush or rinse your mouth well before leaving home or the garlic will stay with you.

Berry Compote

Berry compotes marry beautifully with a sweet risotto or a rich, sweeten polenta. I often make compotes for weekend breakfasts, typically making enough to have some leftover. The leftover compote is used during the week, doing wonders to enliven quick weekday breakfasts. Use the compote as a topping on breakfast staples: bread, farina, (french) toast, oatmeal, plain yogurt, Müesli, waffles, pancakes, and cake. Yes, cake for breakfast. Nothing quite like indulging on a piece of cake for breakfast. As my husband once quipped: "Muffins are for people who don't have the family jewels to eat cake for breakfast."

Berry Compote

Ingredients:

8 oz blackberries

8 oz blueberries

8 oz raspberries

8 oz strawberries

1 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. honey

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

Method:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the berries, honey, sugar, and lemon juice.

2. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the berries have broken down and the mixture is thickened, about 20 minutes; reduce the heat if the compote sticks to the pan.

3. Remove from the heat and spoon over hot risotto. Variation: let the compote cool to room temperature and serve over whatever your heart desires. Try it on a loin of pork.

Sweet Risotto

Few things say warm and cozy like a hot bowl of risotto. Add vanilla, cream, sugar, and chocolat and one all but melts into spoiled comfort. The other day, I returned home early from work because of inclement weather. Snow, all four inches of it. I still had work to do, but needed a little snack to coax me into getting my work done. I looked through the pantry, saw Arborio rice and immediately remember the delightful "White Chocolat Vanilla Bean Risotto" I often enjoyed at a restaurant I frequented while in graduate school -- Café Bacchus.  There, the chef would embellish the dessert with decadent white chocolat. My pantry was fresh out of white chocolat. I could not bear to part with my last four ounces of Scharffen Berger chocolat on a comfort dish. I would have to make do without. Below is the receipt I was able to approximate with great results.

• • Vanilla Bean Risotto 
    
  • 
    
  • Ingredients:
    
  • 
    
  • 3 cups organic whole fat milk
    
  • 1 cup organic whipping cream, plus 1 Tbs. 
    
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
    
  • 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
    
  • 2 Tbs. real butter
    
  • 1 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
    
  • Pinch of salt
    
  • 1 Tbs. real maple syrup

  
  

  Method:

  
  1.    Place milk into a saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla beans into the milk, then add the bean to the milk. Heat the milk until very hot, but do not bring to a boil. Add the cream heat and for an additional five minutes. Remove the bean and add the sugar. Reduce heat to low, continue heating but do not boil the milk.
  2.    Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high. Add the rice, stirring until the rice is well coated. Continue stirring about two minutes more. Reduce the heat to medium.
  3.    Add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to rice and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Keep the rice mixture on a low constant simmer.  Continue to add 1/2 cup of the milk mixture at a time, stirring often, until the milk is absorbed and rice is tender and creamy.  This process should take approximately 30 minutes. Begin tasting for desired "doneness" after twenty minutes of cooking, if you prefer your rice grains with a slight bite - al dente.
  4.    Add the butter and salt once you have reached the desired consistency and stir well to incorporate.
  5.    Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls. Top with 1 Tbs. of warmed cream or the maple syrup. For a variation: after spooning the risotto into the bowls, insert chunks of good quality chocolate, white or dark, into the risotto and top off with more hot risotto. Shave some chocolat over the mixture to garnish. The melted chocolat within provides a pleasant surprise as you spoon through the delicious bowl of sweet risotto. Enjoy!