Soused And Spiced Beans
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When cooked as below this dish will be red/brown in color and taste both sweet and hot at the same time. The fresh ingredients make magic with the beans.
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I know one of my patients who frequents
thedoctorsreport.net facebook page will remind me that this recipe is a no-no for renal/kidney patients beans are a very nutricious and affordable way to get fiber, minerals, anti-oxidants and plant based protein. After some inspirational gifts from my new patient I rummaged through my fridge and cabinets and came up with this dish.
This recipe is inspired and initiated from a new patient who enlightened me to
Rancho Gordo Heirloom Beans from California. These are soused because dry beans should be soaked in water overnight before preparing them. Spiced because my patient introduced me to a
Vidalia Onion Hot Sauce that absolutely makes this dish. Adding to the flavor is a deli find at our local Polish deli- Dutch Bacon. WOW!
Here is the recipe as I recall it; inspiration for me is "work in progress" and so I didn't make detailed notes.
- soak 2-3 cups dried beans overnight (cover fully in water and let set for at least 8 hours).
- place a Dutch oven or other deep skillet on medium heat
- cut into smaller pieces - 3-5 slices of Dutch bacon, cook under medium heat until cooked through but not crunchy, drain fat
- add another 2-3 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil
- add 1-2 chopped, medium to large onions, saute with the bacon
- add the cut stems of bunch of fresh beets (cut finely)
- add 2-3 freshly shredded beats
- add 1 cup of cut or shredded cabbage and also toss in the beet tops cut barely
- add 2-3 tsp of fresh chili past (Sambal Oelek)
- add fresh ground pepper
- stir then simmer this until onions are clear and beet stems are barely soft
- add the soaked beans with water included (just so the beans were covered)
- add 2 cans of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
- I added some fresh tarragon (not much as this stuff is strong fresh)and chopped chives (both optional)
- bring to a boil then cover and simmer low heat for 1.5-3 hours and beans are cooked through
- add 2- 3 tablespoons of the Vidalia Onion Hot Sauce (4 if your brave).
- Add 1 tablespoon of fresh honey and 1 tablespoon of Organic Pure Cane Sugar
- Add kosher salt course grain to flavor for taste
- I mash the beans with a potato or other masher to further soften and let the flavors leach in more.
Enjoy. It is even better if left in the fridge overnight and served again and again. It is ok to add some honey and limited unrefined sugar to a dish this size. The overall sugar added is negligible relative to the entire dish/calories.
