If like me, you filled your pantry with cans of beans, here’s a few ways to use them.
Always drain and rinse the beans before starting. Any bean dish will taste better topped with a dollop of your favorite hot sauce, a fried egg or some plain or Greek yogurt.
Make a warm salad –
Place 3T vinegar, 1t mustard and 1t maple syrup or honey in a small saucepan. Whisk in 6T olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Warm gently on the stove. Toss in the beans and continue to warm. Toss in a handful of greens, such as arugula or spinach. Top with some chopped roasted nuts. Other things you could add – shaved fennel, cherry tomatoes, minced anchovies
Make a soup –
Chop a small onion, carrot and a stick of celery, if you have it. Heat a couple of tablespoons olive oil in a small pan. Add the chopped vegetables and cook over a gentle heat until softened. Add about 6 cups of chicken or vegetables stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add some chopped kale or chard and the beans. Simmer for a further 56 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make a mash –
Put about ¼ cup of olive oil in a pan. Add 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed, a strip of lemon zest and a sprig of rosemary or thyme. Warm and allow to sit for 10 minutes to infuse. Remove the sprig of rosemary or thyme and the lemon zest and reserve. Add the drained beans to the oil and mash with a fork until slightly creamy. Season to taste (some beans can have added salt) Add a squeeze of lemon juice. Top with the sprig of thyme or rosemary and serve. To make them extra delicious, add some grated parmesan or other cheese of your choice.
Make a gratin –
Saute about ½ cup finely chopped onion or leek in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add ½ teaspoon paprika and cook for a minute or two. Add the beans and enough chicken stock or water to cover the beans. Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs (or a teaspoon of dried herbs, such as Herbes de Provence). If you have some sun-dried tomatoes in your pantry, add a couple of tablespoons of minced sun-dried tomatoes. Dried mushrooms reconstituted in hot water and then chopped and added would be great too. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and top with some Panko breadcrumbs, mixed with a little grated Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake at 375ºF until golden and bubbling.
Make a curry-
Saute about ½ cup finely chopped onion or leek in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft and translucent. Add 2 cloves garlic, minced and 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger finely chopped, cook for a couple of minutes. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder and cook for a minute until fragrant. Add ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro if you have it, 1 can coconut milk, a 1T tomato puree and a little water if necessary. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with basmati rice.
White Bean Mash