Braised Cannellini Beans With Garlic Marjoram And Oregano Food

BRAISED BEANS

Steps:

• Soak the beans in water overnight. Drain, then transfer to a Dutch oven. Add 10 cups water, 2 sage leaves, the smashed garlic and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium low; cook until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving the liquid. Discard the garlic and sage.
• Meanwhile, preheat a grill to high or preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.
• Return the beans to the Dutch oven. Add the sliced garlic, olive oil, the remaining 4 sage leaves, the tomato, 1 1/2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the pot, uncovered, on the grill or in the oven; cook until creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the parsley and more cooking liquid, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

BRAISED CANNELLINI BEANS W/GARLIC, MARJORAM AND OREGANO

Steps:

• Rinse the beans well in a colander, picking out any broken beans and pebbles.
• Transfer to a bowl, cover with plenty of cool water, and let soak for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Drain the beans and transfer to a 3 qt pot and add water to cover by 1 to 2 inches.
• Place over high heat and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
• Adjust the heat to a slow simmer and cook uncovered, skimming as needed for 2 hours or until beans are tender (it might be necessary to add more water).
• Remove from the heat, stir in the salt and let the beans stand in their cooking liquid for 30 minutes.
• Drain the beans, reserving 3/4 cup of cooking liquid.
• In a pot, heat the olive oil over med heat.
• Add garlic, bay leaf and oregano and cook for 3 minutes or until the garlic begins to soften.
• Stir in the beans and 3/4 cup cooking liquid and simmer, stirring gently, for about 4 minutes, or until the beans achieve a creamy consistency.
• The beans should not be as thick as mashed potatoes, but they should just hold their shape if spooned onto a piece of bread.
• If the beans are too thick, stir in a little water and continue to cook.
• Stir in marjoram, taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed.
• Remove from the heat.
• At this point beans can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week, reheat gently before serving.
• To serve, pour beans into a warmed serving bowl, or ladle them into warmed individual bowls. Top with bread crumbs and a drizzle of olive oil.
• Serve immediately.
• **The recipe recommends 2 tsp salt -- one of our New Year's Resolutions is for me to cut back on sodium -- so I have purposely omitted this ingredient**.

FRESH GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATOES AND OREGANO

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients except beans to a full boil in a large saucepan over high heat.
• Add beans, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until beans are tender. Serve.

GREEN BEANS WITH OREGANO

Steps:

• Cook green beans in boiling water to cover 5 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.
• Place butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter melts and oil is hot.
• Add onion, and sauté until tender. Reduce heat to medium; add oregano, and sauté 1 minute.
• Add green beans, and cook, stirring often, 5 to 8 minutes or until tender. Toss with salt and pepper.

BRAISED CANNELLINI BEANS WITH ONIONS AND ARUGULA

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a 1-quart pot over a medium-high flame.
• Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly; the garlic should become aromatic and just lightly golden (do not burn it or it will taste acrid).
• Stir in the chili pepper and cook 15 more seconds.
• Add the onion and cook, still stirring, about 2 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent and soft.
• Stir in the pepper and parsley and cook 1 more minute.
• Fold in the rinsed and drained beans, and then stir in the tomato paste.
• Add enough cool water (or chicken broth if you happen to have it on hand) to cover the beans by 1/4 inch (about 1 and 1/2 cups, depending on the width of your pot).
• Season with the salt and bring to a gentle boil, uncovered.
• Cover and lower the heat to medium-low; cook for 5 minutes.
• Uncover, stir in the arugula, and cover again.
• Cook for another 15 minutes.
• Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve hot.

SUMMER SUCCOTASH WITH MARJORAM

Steps:

• Melt butter with oil in large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, peppers & garlic; saute until peppers are crisp tender - about 5 minutes.
• Add corn, zucchini, yellow squash, lima beans & saute until vegies are just tender about 7 minutes.
• Stir in 3T parsley & marjoram.
• Season to taste with salt & fresh ground black pepper.
• Transfer to serving bowl.
• Garnish with remaining parsley & serve.

BEANS WITH TOMATO, CORIANDER AND COCONUT MILK

Steps:

• Having soaked the beans in cold water overnight, boil them until tender in deep, unsalted water. The choice of beans is up to you; I've tried it once with black-eyed beans and once with chickpeas, and it worked pretty well with both. Beans should be tender in about 30-40 minutes. Set the beans aside once cooked. If you are using canned beans, rinse them under cold running water.
• Peels the onions, cut them in half and slice them thinly. Add them to the oil in a large, deep pan and let them soften, colouring lightly, over a moderate heat. Peel, chop and add the garlic.
• Meanwhile, crack the cardamon seeds open and extract the seeds. Crush them coarsely using a pestle and mortar or a very heavy rolling pin, then stir them into the softening onions. Crush the coriander seeds and then the mustard and add them to the onions with the whole cumin seeds, ground turmeric, a generous seasoning of salt, and black pepper. Leave these as they cook, stirring regularly, for at least 5 minutes, so that the spices toast in the heat.
• Meanwhile, seed and finely chop the chillies and add, with the chopped tomatoes, 400ml of water and a pinch of sugar, followed by the cooked beans. Leave to simmer gently over a low heat, with the occasional stir, partially covered by a lid, for about 35-40 minutes. Mix the coconut milk into the sauce, simmer for a further 5 minutes, then add the coriander leaves and the juice of the limes.