Beans

Natto, Untraditional

Mar 07, 2013

Natto is traditionally an Acquired Taste--a stringy, stinky, almost moldy-looking ferment cultured with soybeans. I've heard that in Japan, it's eaten for breakfast with some raw egg yolks over rice.

Since soy is not something I'm super keen on eating much of, these days, I've tried natto-ifying various other beans, including black turtle and lentils. These produce natto that is milder than the soy version, but I'm hoping that the spores still manage to produce lots of Vit. K, etc.

An unusual and delicious Dosa Recipe

Oct 24, 2011

We hadn't eaten beans since we started GAPS a year and a half ago, and this was my first experiment. It started as a recipe for "Tarhana," which is a Turkish soup made from a fermented dough. I used red lentils for the dough, and fermented it until it was quite sour. Then, with a little water added to thin it, I poured it into a hot cast-iron pan with LOTS of fat. The resulting "dosas" were incredibly tasty...a bit of a cross-cultural fusion!

This recipe makes a lot of dosa-style pancakes; maybe 12 cups of batter. It keeps in the fridge for at least a week after it's finished fermenting.

French Lentil Salad for a Crowd

Jul 15, 2011

This can feed about 100 people, if you serve a few other dishes as well (works well with a pasta salad and a veggie salad).

16 oz. (1 bottle) balsamic vinegar
2 heads of garlic, cloves peeled and minced or pressed
Salt and Pepper to taste

3 bunches of broccoli
2 red peppers, seeded and diced
1 medium green cabbage, chopped finely and blanched
1 medium red cabbage, chopped finely and blanched
2 large bunches parsley, minced
1 large bunch basil, minced

1 quarts dry French lentils, soaked or sprouted, and then cooked till just tender

Our Favorite Hummus

Apr 08, 2010

This recipe is based on the one by Cooks Illustrated; it produces a creamy, delicious, "restaurant style" hummus that is unlike the usual grainy dip that often emerges from the home food processor. I'm using canned beans here to illustrate quantities, but I usually make my own and don't measure so precisely--it's the technique that matters most, and adding enough salt, and not adding too much garlic. ;)

--2 small garlic cloves
--1 1/2 tsp. salt

--2 25-oz. cans chickpeas, drained (Westbrae works well; if you use another brand, or make your own, you'll have to adjust the salt)

Warm Chickpea Salad with Shallots and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Mar 24, 2010

1 large or 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
3 T red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
2 15-oz. cans chickpeas, drained
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly milled black pepper

In a large bowl, combine the shallots, vinegar, garlic, and salt.
Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the shallots and garlic to mellow.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring 2 quarts of water to a
boil. Add the chickpeas and blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain.

Chickpea Curry with Whole Spices

Jan 13, 2010

Adapted from "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen," a fantastic cookbook by Jack Bishop.

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cinnamon stick, about 4 inches long
1 bay leaf
10 whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds

1 medium onion, minced

3 medium garlic cloevs, minced
1 tbsp. minced ginger root
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (or equivalent fresh or frozen)

3 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or about 4-5 cups cooked chickpeas)
~1 cup water (or chickpea cooking liquid)
Salt

2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)

Minestrone Soup

Dec 13, 2009

This soup is infinitely variable and adjustable. In fact, the only rule is that you can only make it the same way once.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion
1/2 head green cabbage, cut up small
3 celery stalks or a celeriac
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
Red pepper flakes

1 potato
2 carrots

28-oz can tomatoes, plus some tomato paste or dried tomatoes
2-4 cups cooked beans
1/4 cup dried basil
2 tbsp. dried oregano
pinch of fennel
2 bay leaves

1/2-1 cup cooked grain, or a handful of uncooked rice or wheat pasta

1 head kale, stemmed, finely chopped

Black Bean Soup

Dec 05, 2009

Makes about 9 cups

Another total favorite from "Laurel's Kitchen," by Laurel Robertson et al.

1 1/2 cup black beans

6 cups water

1 onion, chopped

2 tbsp. oil

2 cloves garlic

2 celery stalks

1 potato

1 carrot

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. savory

2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 lemon, juiced

Wash the beans and put them in a saucepan along with the water. Cover loosely, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours or so, until the beans are quite tender.

The Most Delicious EASY Lentil Soup

Dec 05, 2009

Makes about 8 cups, to serve 6

From "Laurel's Kitchen"

A thinner, more flavorful version of lentil soup than the usual stewy kind.

2 cups lentils (green, red, or French lentils)

8 cups water

half an onion, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1 potato, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 1/2-2 tsp salt

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Pick over lentils and wash.

Mix all ingredients except the vinegar in a soup pot and cook until the lentils are very soft, about one hour. Stir in vinegar at the end and serve

Hearty Pea Soup

Dec 05, 2009

So good, from "Laurel's Kitchen," by Laurel Robertson et al.

1 onion, diced
2 tbsp. oil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. celery seed

1 cup green split peas
1/2 cup barley or rice
2 quarts water

2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1 small carrot, chopped
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 small potato, diced
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme

Saute onion in oil until soft, along with bay leaf and celery seed. Stir in peas and barley. Add 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cook on low heat, partially covered, for about an hour and a half.

Syndicate content