White Beans
By Cat, August 2008 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
This is a stir-fry, and is quickly made once the beans are cooked. In a pinch, you could use canned white beans. Broccoli raab is a member of the cabbage/kale family; any other member of this family could be used. I like broccolini (baby broccoli).
- See also: 1. Basic Cooked Beans, Peas; 2. Beans & Other Legumes: Soaking & Sprouting; 3. Vegetarian & Bean Menu; Other sites: 4. Emily Skinner Bean Recipes (2); 5. The Vegan Gourmet on dried beans & peas (great reference! (3))
White Beans with Broccoli Raab, Tomatoes & Parmesan
This stir-fry recipe is adapted from the Daily InterLake (August 20, 2008) and the Associated Press (Original recipe from the Vegetarian Times).
Broccoli raab is hard to come by here in Montana, unless you grow it yourself. For a substitute, try a combination of kale, chard or turnip greens, with a few broccoli florets and leaves. Check out Cooks Thesaurus: Cooking Greens Substitutes (2) for some other ideas.
Serves 4 – 6.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- Soak/Sprout Beans
- ½ pound (1 cup) dried white beans (3 cups, cooked)
- warm filtered water
- lemon juice (1 Tbsp per quart of water)
- Stir-Fry
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cloves garlic
- 24 oz broccoli raab (or kale, or chard)
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Unrefined sea salt, to taste
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup grated parmesan (garnish)
- Equipment
- large bowl
- 3 quart saucier
- wok (or saucier)
- wooden spoon
- serving plate
Method
- Beans: Soak/Sprout them: Add water and lemon juice to dried beans in bowl or sprouting jar; cover with towel or jar lid and leave in a warm place overnight (24 hours). The longer they soak, the shorter the cooking time. Check after a few hours and add more water as necessary. Or soak them over 2 – 3 days, rinsing and draining each day until they sprout. (See Soaking & Sprouting Beans for more detail).
- Cook Beans (See Basic Cooked Beans, Peas for more detail): Drain beans, rinse and put in saucier along fresh water (or chicken stock) to cover by 2 inches. Boil for 10 minutes (very important, to ensure soft beans) and skim.
- Simmer gently until beans are tender, 1 – 3 hours. Add more water as needed to keep beans covered.
- About 20 minutes before the beans are done, add about ¼ tsp of salt. When tender, drain beans, and set aside.
- Prep veggies: Mince garlic
- Wash broccoli raab (or substitute), and pat dry. Trim and chop coarsely.
- Wash and drain grape tomatoes.
- Stir Fry: Heat 2 Tbsp oil in wok or saucier over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute until it sizzles, then add broccoli raab and red pepper flakes. Season with salt; saute 5 – 7 minutes, or until the broccoli raab is wilted. Transfer to serving plate.
- Add 1 Tbsp oil to wok. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 – 7 minutes, or until the skins brown and begin to split. Stir in white beans and cook 2 – 3 minutes more, or until heated through.
- Spoon over the broccoli raab, then garnish with parmesan.
References
- Daily Inter Lake (August 20, 2008) and the Associated Press; Original recipe from the Vegetarian Times: (vegetariantimes.com/search/White+Beans+with+Broccoli+Raab%2C+Tomatoes+%26+Parmesan)
- Cook’s Thesaurus: Cooking Greens Substitutes (foodsubs.com/Greenckg.html
