The magical fruit
October 19, 2015 9:22 PM Subscribe
I made an enormous pot of beans tonight. Just simple white beans with veggie broth, aromatics, and a beef marrow bone I had lying around, so they are pretty plain but yummy. Unfortunately I didn't think it through and now I am sitting on enough beans to feed me for two weeks. Of course I will freeze some of them but I would love to eat most of them soon. Please share your ideas for what I can do to make my beans varied and interesting.
I am an omnivore and a good cook but I am feeding only myself. I like lots of variation in flavor and texture and am not overly concerned with being "healthy" but I don't care much for cheesy cream based things. These beans currently have a little bite left to them so they can be cooked with more assertive flavors a second time without losing all of their integrity. Thanks for helping me actually eat my leftovers!
I am an omnivore and a good cook but I am feeding only myself. I like lots of variation in flavor and texture and am not overly concerned with being "healthy" but I don't care much for cheesy cream based things. These beans currently have a little bite left to them so they can be cooked with more assertive flavors a second time without losing all of their integrity. Thanks for helping me actually eat my leftovers!
Top them was biscuit dough and shredded cheddar in a casserole dish, bake like a pot pie until the biscuits are cooked through and the beans are warm.
It's nice to do this with fresh biscuit dough cause you can skip the rolling out step and just plop it on, but you can also use canned dough, or unrolled-but-not-torn-into-triangles canned croissant dough as a pie crust topper.
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:30 PM on October 19, 2015
It's nice to do this with fresh biscuit dough cause you can skip the rolling out step and just plop it on, but you can also use canned dough, or unrolled-but-not-torn-into-triangles canned croissant dough as a pie crust topper.
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:30 PM on October 19, 2015
If you can find my previous bean soup question - there are tons of yummy ideas about how to dress it up!
posted by rubster at 9:50 PM on October 19, 2015
posted by rubster at 9:50 PM on October 19, 2015
David Leibovitz' white bean dip? I've only made it with tinned beans, but it was delicious.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:58 PM on October 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:58 PM on October 19, 2015 [4 favorites]
Dress them with olive oil and coarse salt and eat them as a cold salad. Bitey greens like watercress can also be mixed in.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:00 PM on October 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 10:00 PM on October 19, 2015 [5 favorites]
In case it hasn't occurred to you: burritos.
posted by XMLicious at 10:11 PM on October 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by XMLicious at 10:11 PM on October 19, 2015 [2 favorites]
This recipe from Moosewood Low-Fat Favorites for Tuscan Beans with Sage is so much tastier than the few ingredients it requires suggests.
posted by MeadowlarkMaude at 10:39 PM on October 19, 2015
posted by MeadowlarkMaude at 10:39 PM on October 19, 2015
Seconding cold salads with a Tuscan flair (lots of olive oil, fresh herbs, and sea salt). Also Nthing sage as a great fresh herb with white beans.
What about mashing some into a paste to use as a sandwich condiment? One of my all time favorite sandwiches from this one deli I used to frequent was called the Tuscan Veg. Focaccia split horizontally, spread with a white bean paste, and with arugula, sundried tomatoes, and thin slices of parmesan cheese. Delicious. You can use pretty much any bread in lieu of focaccia.
White bean hummus?
posted by Sara C. at 11:11 PM on October 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
What about mashing some into a paste to use as a sandwich condiment? One of my all time favorite sandwiches from this one deli I used to frequent was called the Tuscan Veg. Focaccia split horizontally, spread with a white bean paste, and with arugula, sundried tomatoes, and thin slices of parmesan cheese. Delicious. You can use pretty much any bread in lieu of focaccia.
White bean hummus?
posted by Sara C. at 11:11 PM on October 19, 2015 [3 favorites]
I have two favorite recipes which involve white beans:
Kale with Sausage and White Beans from Simply recipes. Sometimes I put this on a pizza crust and top it with mozzarella.
Pan-Fried Giant White Beans with Kale by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. I've been making a version of this with cannellini beans from a can, kale and caramelized onions that I keep stocked in the freezer. Pan-fried white beans with a little crust are delicious and this dish does well with an egg on top. I make this at least twice a week.
posted by Miss Matheson at 12:22 AM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
Kale with Sausage and White Beans from Simply recipes. Sometimes I put this on a pizza crust and top it with mozzarella.
Pan-Fried Giant White Beans with Kale by Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. I've been making a version of this with cannellini beans from a can, kale and caramelized onions that I keep stocked in the freezer. Pan-fried white beans with a little crust are delicious and this dish does well with an egg on top. I make this at least twice a week.
posted by Miss Matheson at 12:22 AM on October 20, 2015 [2 favorites]
Sometimes I make a seafood-based soup with white beans - I only know how to make it in the single-diner quantity, though:
Take, like, just under a can-of-beans amount of beans, a tomato, a big handful of kale or some other greens, a small onion, a couple cloves of garlic, and either a pound of shellfish or a half-pound of shrimp or fish fillets.
Chop up the onion and garlic and saute that in a pan for a few minutes, then, add the tomato and the beans and simmer for a couple minutes. Take that off the heat. If you're using shellfish, dump them into a separate pan with a quarter cup of white wine and heat until the shellfish steam open, then strain the juices and add to the pot with the beans.
Turn the heat back on under the beans, then chop the kale and throw that in. Dig the meat out of the shellfish and throw that in (or just add the chopped-up fish fillet or whole shrimp, if that's what you're using instead). Heat until the raw fish (if that's what you're using) is cooked through, or everything's hot.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:50 AM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Take, like, just under a can-of-beans amount of beans, a tomato, a big handful of kale or some other greens, a small onion, a couple cloves of garlic, and either a pound of shellfish or a half-pound of shrimp or fish fillets.
Chop up the onion and garlic and saute that in a pan for a few minutes, then, add the tomato and the beans and simmer for a couple minutes. Take that off the heat. If you're using shellfish, dump them into a separate pan with a quarter cup of white wine and heat until the shellfish steam open, then strain the juices and add to the pot with the beans.
Turn the heat back on under the beans, then chop the kale and throw that in. Dig the meat out of the shellfish and throw that in (or just add the chopped-up fish fillet or whole shrimp, if that's what you're using instead). Heat until the raw fish (if that's what you're using) is cooked through, or everything's hot.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:50 AM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Another good salad: white beans, cucumber, feta cheese, lots and lots of green onions and parsley, lemon juice.
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:23 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by nebulawindphone at 6:23 AM on October 20, 2015
Eat with scrambled eggs & cheese, either in a tortilla or plain.
posted by belladonna at 6:46 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by belladonna at 6:46 AM on October 20, 2015
Depending how loose the beans are, maybe add more broth (veg, beef, or chicken) and some ditalini or tubettini pasta and make white pasta e fagioli. If you prefer yours red, saute some tomato paste with garlic and oregano and stir that into the mix.
posted by gauche at 6:52 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by gauche at 6:52 AM on October 20, 2015
Try pureeing them with some root veggies, parsnip, potatoes, sweet potatoes for a revamped mashed potatoe side dish.
posted by CosmicSeeker42 at 7:11 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by CosmicSeeker42 at 7:11 AM on October 20, 2015
I love using leftover beans for huevos rancheros.
posted by gnutron at 7:25 AM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by gnutron at 7:25 AM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
Pancetta, white bean and chard pot pies from Smitten Kitchen. I've made this for company and everyone loved it.
posted by rivtintin at 8:27 AM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by rivtintin at 8:27 AM on October 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
White beans can be a great base for making a nice lunch salad. One of my favorites is paired with green beans and dressed with vinaigrette or lemony dressing, and one or two additional add-ins you have on hand and enjoy--ideas there include halved cherry tomatoes, diced canned tomatoes (fire roasted if you got 'em), diced red onion, olives, capers, shredded parmesan, mozzarella balls or cubes...lots of possibilities. You can add tuna, cubed ham, little bitty salad shrimp, etc. if you want to pack more protein in.
posted by drlith at 8:33 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by drlith at 8:33 AM on October 20, 2015
Top it with a couple poached eggs, cilantro and avocado. Yum!!
posted by archimago at 9:25 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by archimago at 9:25 AM on October 20, 2015
I really like beans with sausages, so one option might be cooking up some sausages until super crispy and serving those on top of teh beans. I also love them in any Mexican dish - you can basically treat them like pinto beans in refried beans, even though the color is off - will still be delicious!
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:32 AM on October 20, 2015
posted by rainbowbrite at 9:32 AM on October 20, 2015
Cooked beans (especially when pureed with a bit of liquid) make a very wonderful soup base in place of stock.
If you're a casserole/bake person, whole cooked beans on top of a dish will crust up nicely and make an arguably healthier crunchy topping than breadcrumbs or fried onions.
Chilled beans also work great in salads, especially since you haven't heavily seasoned these.
I've used bean paste as a coating on tofu before flash frying and it turned out quite nice.
And so on. Beans!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:42 AM on October 20, 2015
If you're a casserole/bake person, whole cooked beans on top of a dish will crust up nicely and make an arguably healthier crunchy topping than breadcrumbs or fried onions.
Chilled beans also work great in salads, especially since you haven't heavily seasoned these.
I've used bean paste as a coating on tofu before flash frying and it turned out quite nice.
And so on. Beans!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:42 AM on October 20, 2015
BEANS!
-Beans with eggs
-Beans with Guacamole
-Beans with olive oil and spices
-Beans with BBQ sauce and bacon
-Beans mashed into bean burgers
posted by glaucon at 11:38 AM on October 20, 2015
-Beans with eggs
-Beans with Guacamole
-Beans with olive oil and spices
-Beans with BBQ sauce and bacon
-Beans mashed into bean burgers
posted by glaucon at 11:38 AM on October 20, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by lathrop at 9:28 PM on October 19, 2015