BVR: Baked Beans With Mint And Paprika

[Guest guest]

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Baked Beans With Mint And Paprika

 

Recipe By : The Best Vegetarian Recipes, by Martha Rose Shulman, p. 183

Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Beans And Legumes Side Dishes

Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1 pound white beans

such as navy beans or cannellini beans -- (2

heaped cups),

washed and picked over

(to make sure there are no stones

mixed in with the beans)

1 bay leaf

1 dried or fresh hot red chile pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions -- chopped

1 teaspoon paprika

2 large minced garlic cloves -- (to taste), up to 3

Salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves -- chopped

2 tomatoes -- up to 3

cut in rounds

2 red bell peppers -- seeded

and cut into strips or rounds

1 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour

Chopped fresh parsley or mint

 

This is one of the best versions of baked beans I've ever eaten. This

recipe is inspired by a recipe in Maria Kaneva-Johnson's The Melting Pot:

Balkan Food and Cookery. Serve it with a green salad and good crusty bread

or cornbread. MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

 

1. Soak the beans in 6 cups of water for at least 6 hours or overnight.

 

2. Drain the beans and combine with 4 cups water, the bay leaf, and the

chile pepper in a large pot or ovenproof Dutch oven. Bring to a boil,

reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until the beans are

tender but intact. Discard the chile pepper. If the pot is not ovenproof,

transfer the beans with their liquid, to an ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven.

 

3. Preheat the oven to 325F.

 

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium

heat. Add the onion. Stir together, cover and cook, stirring

occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until soft. Uncover and continue to

cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 more minutes. Remove from

the heat and stir in the paprika, garlic, salt (1 teaspoon or more),

pepper, and mint. Stir in about 1/4 cup hot water to give the mixture a

saucelike consistency. Stir this into the beans and blend

thoroughly. Taste and adjust the salt.

 

5. Arrange the tomatoes and bell peppers over the top. Sprinkle on the

flour and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil

 

6. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, or until the beans are very tender. If

the water evaporates before the beans are soft, add a little

more. Sprinkle the parsley or additional mint over the top and serve, hot

or warm.

 

Advance preparation: The beans will keep for 3 to 5 days in the

refrigerator. The dish can be made hours ahead and reheated just before

serving.

 

QUICK BAKED CANNED BEANS: The disadvantage to using canned beans is that

you don't get the tasty broth. The obvious advantage is the time-saving

element. In order to add a liquid dimension, I've added a can of chopped

tomatoes with liquid. Substitute three 15- ounce cans white beans, drained

and rinsed, for the dried beans. Omit the bay leaf. Add one 14-ounce can

chopped tomatoes with liquid. Combine the canned beans, chile pepper, and

tomatoes in an ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven. Proceed with the recipe,

beginning with step 2.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -