A Pot of Beans

There is nothing more comforting and nourishing than a pot of beans. It’s one of the most economic dishes as a little does go a long way and nothing much is needed besides a few flavorings. Through the late summer we have a wide variety of fresh beans in their pods available at the farmer’s market. There are heirloom varieties like tiger’s eye and tongue of fire, but there are the more familiar cannellini, butterbean and kidneys. I have a soft spot for fresh beans. I love shucking them out of their shell and I love that I can cook them immediately because forethought often doesn’t pan out and usually when I want to eat something, I want to make it right then and there. Fresh beans are perfect for this and I treasure their short season by making many iterations. My go to is usually a Mexican recipe of pinto beans called “Frijoles de la Olla” or Pot Beans, but today I’ve decided to travel across the Atlantic and use a similar technique for cannellini beans. What’s wonderful about bean recipes is how versatile they are and how easily adaptable to various flavorings. When I make Frijoles de la Olla, I usually cook the beans in a homemade broth of water, a halved onion, a halved head of garlic and some dried chiles – usually chipotle, guajillo and ancho. Sometimes I add in epazote, Sicilian oregano or some fennel seeds, but the beans are just as good without them. When I simmer beans like this I usually don’t add salt until the very end, but to be quite honest, I’m not sure salting at the end is necessary because I like to salt the sautéed vegetables that are mixed in and no matter what these beans are always tender and flavorful. I’m somewhat superstitious though, so if you have a family rule, it’s best to stick to the guidance of whichever aunt or grandparent is certain.  For fresh beans, I love sautéing the vegetables in the fat from a flavorful piece of meat that has been browned and set aside – in this case lamb sausage. Then the beans get tossed in, coated with extra flavor and covered in stock. If the beans are fresh they’ll simmer 45 minutes to an hour until tender, if they are dried it will take longer and I often add in the vegetables at the end so they retain more flavor. You decide which, just don’t forget to share a warm bowl with someone you love.

Equipment:

A large dutch oven

a slotted spoon

a wooden spatula

Ingredients:

Olive oil

3 fresh lamb sausages, cut into 1 inch rounds

one large onion or two small, chopped

one carrot, chopped

4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1-3 serranos, whole

one bulb of fennel, chopped

3 fresh bay leaves

5 sage leaves, chopped

fennel seeds, whole

cumin seeds, whole

2 cups cannellini beans, fresh, shucked

2 cups stock (chicken, beef, lamb, vegetable)

2 cups water

salt

black pepper

Heat enough olive oil in your dutch oven to lightly cover the bottom. Once the oil is hot, add in your sausages and cook them until browned on both “meat” sides of the pieces. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate. Reserve. Put the onion, carrot, fennel, garlic, bay leaves, sage leaves, serranos (adding to your heat preference) into the dutch oven and saute briskly. The juices from the oven ought to nicely deglaze the browned bits from the sausage. Add in a couple pinches of salt, fresh cracked black pepper and several pinches of fennel and cumin seeds. Once the vegetables begin to soften, add in the fresh beans and stir everything to thoroughly coat. After a few minutes of sauteeing, add in the broth and water. When the beans reach a boil, turn them down to a simmer and cover with the lid cracked. Once they are tender, about 45 minutes, taste the beans and add in some more salt until they are rich and delicious. Then, add in the sausage and cook about 10 minutes longer to allow the sausage to fully cook. Remove from the heat and serve with crusty bread and salsa verde.

A note:

If you are making this recipe with dried beans soak one cup of beans in 4 cups of water over night. Drain them and add them to a pot with the broth, water, bay leaves and serranos. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour. Meanwhile, cook the sausage and vegetables the same as the recipe above (omitting the bay leaves and serranos, of course), turning the heat off the vegetables after 5 minutes of sauteeing. When the beans are ready, pour them into the dutch oven with the sautéed vegetables and cook for another hour. You may need to add more water – if so try to do so sparingly, just ½ cup at a time. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as usual.

For creamier beans:

Once the beans are tender, blend a quarter of the mixture and return to the pot.