Episode 57: Beans and Legumes

White Bean Crostini
Chick Pea & Clam Soup
Pinto Bean & Ham Hock Soup
Lentil Cakes
Black Bean, Taber Corn & Smoked Tomato Cassoulet

WHITE BEAN CROSTINI
2 cups dried white beans (260 grams)
1 bouquet garni
1 onion
2 cloves
1 carrot
5 garlic cloves
½ cup olive oil (125 milliliters)
1 day old baguette
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preparation time is 2 ½ hours
Ease of preparation is easy
Preheat over to 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Soak the white beans in water for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight. Drain the water and then place the beans into a large saucepan, cover generously with cold water, bring slowly to the boil and skim the pan. Add salt, pepper, a bouquet garni, an onion stuck with a couple of cloves and a diced carrot. Cover the pan and simmer very gently for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Place the garlic cloves in the 300-degree oven with their skins on to roast, about 40 minutes. Once the garlic is soft, remove one end of the skin and squeeze the soft white centre into your food processor. Drain the white beans. Add to the food processor along with a generous dash of olive oil. Puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, slice the baguette quite thinly. Brush lightly with olive oil and place under the broiler until the slices begin to turn golden brown. Remove from the oven, turn over, and brush the second side and toast.

Spread the white bean, olive oil and garlic mixture over the crostini toasts. Top with shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 6 servings
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CHICK PEA AND CLAM SOUP
500 grams of canned chickpeas
6 tablespoons olive oil (90 milliliters)
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups Pelee Island Pinot Gris white wine (500 milliliters)
2 cans clams (20 ounces)
Salt and pepper

Preparation time is 50 minutes if using canned chickpeas, 2 hours if using dried
Ease of preparation is easy.

In a saucepan over medium heat add the olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes and rosemary, removed from its stems and chopped. Do not allow the garlic to brown. After a couple of minutes add the white wine and half the chickpeas. Simmer for 15 minutes with a lid.

In a food mill or a ricer, puree the remainder of the chickpeas. Add the puree to the whole chickpea and white wine mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the clams & serve hot with olive oil drizzled over the top.

Yield: 6 servings
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PINTO BEAN AND HAM HOCK SOUP
500 grams pinto beans – soaked overnight
5 litres water
2 large smoked ham hocks
1 tablespoon canola oil (15 milliliters)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds (5 milliliters)

Preparation time is 2 ½ hours, plus 12 hours soaking time
Ease of preparation is easy

In a large pot, heat the canola oil. Add the diced onion and carrots and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and coriander seed and cook until fragrant.

Add water, previously soaked beans and hocks. Bring the pan to a simmer for 2 hours, until the beans are tender and the meat is falling off the hock.

Remove the hock and any meat that may have come off. Let them cook slightly. Meanwhile, puree the soup – but not too fine – keep it course. Peel the skin off the hocks and discard. Dice the meat and add it back to the soup.

Simmer the soup for 10 minutes and adjust the seasoning.

Yield: 16 servings
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LENTIL CAKES
250 grams red lentils (8 ounces)
250 grams green lentils (8 ounces)
4 carrots, grated
2 onions, grated
1/3 cup olive oil (70 milliliters)
1 head of celery, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ cup cornmeal (2 ounces)
½ cup whole oats (2 ounces)
½ cup tomato sauce
2 cups sour cream (500 milliliters)

Preparation time is 1½ hours
Ease of preparation is easy

Cook the green and red lentils separately adding plenty of cold water to the saucepan. Bring to the boil and skim any surface residue. Simmer the red lentils in a covered pan for 15 minutes, the green lentils for 40 minutes. Drain the lentils.

Grate the vegetables. Sauté the carrots, celery, onions and garlic in a frying pan with half the olive oil. Add the cumin. Mix the lentils with the sautéed vegetables and add the cornmeal and the oats. Form the mixture into cake shapes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan and cook the lentil cakes over a high heat until brown and crispy on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Serve with sour cream.

Yield: 6 servings
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BLACK BEAN, TABER CORN AND SMOKED TOMATO CASSOULET
1 cup black turtle beans (250 milliliters)
2 tablespoons canola oil (25 milliliters)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste (45 milliliters)
8 cups water or chicken stock (2 litres)
5 Roma tomatoes, cut in quarters
1 cup corn kernels, from 1 or 2 cobs fresh corn (250 milliliters)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (50 milliliters)
salt and pepper

Preparation time is 1 ½ hours, plus 12 hours soaking time
Ease of preparation is easy

Cover the black beans with enough cold water to cover them by 3 inches and set aside to soak overnight. Drain the beans well.

If you have a home smoker, smoke the tomatoes over cold smoke. Tomatoes are infused with the flavour of wood smoke only after the about 30 minutes in a home smoker. To smoke them on the barbeque, place soaked wood chips in a tinfoil package, poke some holes in the package to allow the smoke to escape, and place it over the gas flame. When the wood begins to smoke, place tomatoes on grill on top and reduce the heat – they will begin to char and take on a smoky flavour in about 10 minutes. Peel away any blackened skin before chopping them into quarters.

In a large pot, heat the canola oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, stirring well.

Add water or stock and the drained black beans. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Chop the smoked tomatoes and add them to the beans. Simmer for another 30 minutes or until beans are tender and sauce is nicely thickened.

Stir in the corn kernels and cilantro and cook for 5 minutes longer. Season to taste and serve with hearty sausages.

Yield: 6 servings
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Recipe Courtesy of Chef Michael Allemeier, Executive Chef at Teatro in Calgary, Alberta, Canada