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HARICOTS A LA BRETONNE
White Beans with Garlic and Tomatoes
Brittany-style white beans are dried white beans that are cooked and mixed with a fresh tomato sauce. They are excellent when served with roast lamb, but more important, they serve as my base for a marvellous cassoulet (see Cassoulet Maigre recipe next week)
After cooking the beans, I reduce the cooking liquid, which is usually discarded, to form a sauce. This recipe can be used to cook other beans, (limas, black-eyed peas, and lentils), which can be served with or without the reduced liquid and/or the tomato sauce.
Serves 10 to 12
2 pounds dried white beans, washed and drained
1 large carrot
1 onion, studded with 2 cloves, plus 3 onions, chopped
1 head garlic, unpeeled, plus 4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Bouquet Garni (see following)
5 tablespoons butter
2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped or 4 pounds canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt*
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper*
3 sprigs parsley, chopped for garnish
Bouquet Garni
4-5 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon) sun dried
Tie up in a celery stalk cut in half. The reason for tying the ingredients together is to enable you to discard them easily once the cooking is finished.
Place the beans in a large casserole or saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove from the heat an allow to stand covered for 20 to 30 minutes.
Rinse the beans in cold water, drain, and return them to the casserole with the carrot, cloved onion, head of garlic, and one bouquet garni. Add water to cover by 1 inch (2 to 2 1/2 quarts). Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until the beans are tender yet still firm, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid, and discard the carrot, onion, head of garlic,, and bouquet garni. Reduce the liquid over high heat until it thickens and only 1 cup remains. Pour this sauce over the beans and set aside.
In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter over low heat. Add the chopped onions, cover, and cook slowly until soft, about 6 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, chopped garlic, and remaining bouquet garni. Season with the salt and pepper, cover, and simmer gently until the tomatoes soften and a sauce forms, about 30 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni.
Add the tomato sauce, which should not be watery, to the cooked beans. (At this point the beans may be stored in the refrigerator for several days or frozen.)
Before serving, bring the beans slowly to a boil. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve Hot.
**If you are making these beans for the Cassoulet Maigre omit the final butter and parsley.
(Excerpted from At Home With the French Classics)*
* Available on the Web.
** Available in-store.
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