I’m not sure how many years ago we started the tradition of taking a long weekend trip late in January, but it’s one of my favorites.  I think it all began when I figured out that the holiday presents other than clothing my husband received were rarely used, so I surprised him with a trip to Solvang one year.  The next year it was Monterey, and from that point on, we tried to find somewhere to go just to get away.  Sometimes the boy accompanied us, but most often, it was just the two of us.  One year we may have taken a plane, and the next we’d drive.  We’d talk occasionally about stretching ourselves to go somewhere we hadn’t been before — Monterey, CA is still our favorite — but the whole point of getting away is to relax, and when you’re the semi-unadventurous people we are familiarity facilitates that relaxation.

We don’t go as often as we used to since life isn’t as hectic, but this year my husband charged me with finding somewhere to go within a reasonable driving distance.  I’m thinking it’s because the patio is torn up and figuring what to do with it is a far less attractive option than heading off on a Friday afternoon for anything unrelated to a DIY project.  I don’t blame him.

I asked the boy what he thought, and without hesitation he mentioned Julian.  You may remember me waxing over this small town early last month, and since I’d toyed with the idea of gifting my husband with a get away there before moving on to something else, my research had already been done.

We’re back now, and as much as we might have enjoyed some sign of wintery weather, there wasn’t a trace.  Clear blue skies, dry air, and highs of 65 during the day welcomed us.  The cabin was nestled against a mountainside beneath huge cedars, young pines in the undergrowth, and massive coastal live oaks.  The persistent rush of water from a stream nearby was the only sound to be heard.  We hiked, cooked a little, played cards and Yahtzee, and enjoyed the quiet, our books, and one another’s company.   I took Tessa Kiros’ breathtaking book Falling Cloudberries:  A World of Family Recipes which I finally treated myself to after seeing it for the first time about a year ago, and  read through it over the two days.

When I open it to make one of the many wonderful recipes from now on, I’ll remember last weekend and smile.

Here’s a simple, delicious vegetable soup adapted from one of Kiros’ recipes.  It’s light and full of bright, fresh flavor that will warm you through and through.

Perfect.  Just like our weekend.

Vegetable Bean Soup

1 c. large lima beans, cooked

1 leek, rinsed and sliced

1 zucchini, sliced and quartered

4-5 small red potatoes, chopped

3 small carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 small butternut squash, cubed

1 bunch chard, chopped

4 whole roma tomatoes, canned

1 c. oyster mushrooms, chopped

1 handfull fresh parsley, chopped

2-3 pinches fresh oregano, chopped

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

fresh lemon

fruity extra virgin olive oil

Prepare the lima beans ahead of time by soaking them in a pan of water overnight.  Alternatively, bring the beans to a boil, turn the heat off and allow to soak for 1 hour.  Drain the beans, cover them with fresh water and cook partially covered over low heat about 1 hour.  When the beans are tender, remove them from the heat and drain them reserving the broth.

While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables.  Mix everything except the olive oil and lemon in a large pot.  Add 10 cups of water and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cover the pan and bring the vegetables to a boil.  Turn the heat down to a low simmer, partially cover with a lid and allow to cook about 1 hour.  Taste and correct seasoning.

Add the cooked lima beans and 1 cup of the bean broth.  If desired, with any left over lima beans (some of them are very soft after cooking) mash and stir into the soup.

Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a drizzle of good, fruity olive oil.

Mix and match veggies and greens

Cover the veggies with water and cook

Fresh soup for dinner

Notes:

• I could eat this soup — or any variation of it — all week.  The broth is clear, light, and very flavorful.  Without the drizzle of olive oil, this is nearly fat-free, but the drizzle is worth it.  That and the lemon really add a bright flavor to the soup.
• I enjoyed the lima beans in this — especially the mashed up-stir-it-into-the-broth left over limas.  In fact, I could eat them by themselves.  But if you don’t have the limas or the time, I know some rinsed cannellini beans would work just fine.
• If you don’t have chard, then spinach or kale would be nice, too.
• Dried mushrooms would work well instead of fresh if you don’t have a nice variety of mushrooms available.  Cover them with hot water and allow to soak about 30 minutes.  Drain them — reserving the broth — and chop before adding to the vegetable mix.  Add the filtered broth to the soup pot.
• If you don’t have potatoes, add pasta or rice instead.  Make sure it’s partially cooked before adding it to the pot about 20 minutes before the end of cooking time.
• Use the herbs you enjoy in any combination.

I think the first time I heard anyone mention cassoulet, it was Martha Stewart years ago in the first version of her television show.  Outside of remembering that the main ingredients were white beans and a huge amount of meat for what could be classified as a one pot meal, I know she described it as one of her traditional holiday party menu items.  I also remember wondering how a preparing a pot of beans could be so involved.  Really?

Now I know.

To say that cassoulet is simply a bean stew or “dried beans and meat” is humorous because I grew up eating what could be called bean stew.  Beans go in a pot with few additional ingredients and not much attention.  Time goes by and a tasty dinner is served.  Bear in mind in this scenario, the bean to meat ratio is in favor of the legumes.  Cassoulet is anything but that, but I’m thinking it shouldn’t have to be.  At the same time, if I set out to make one of the many recipes I glanced at for “easy” cassoulet I’d feel I’d cheated somehow.  Perhaps I’d have something with flavor similar to cassoulet, but I’d miss out on what I often enjoy so much about tackling an involved recipe for the first time:  all the thinking I do.  There’s something very gratifying about methodically working through a recipe that takes some thought and effort.

I’ll confess this all began with a small jar of duck fat I brought back from England recently.  I saw it and knew it would remind me of all the possibilities, so tucked it well into my suitcase until we arrived home, then stored it in the fridge to think about.  Many traditional versions of cassoulet are made with duck fat, but I needed a recipe that wasn’t swimming in it, which means I would need to choose a recipe lacking in, well, duck – or more specifically, duck confit.  My little jar’s quantity wasn’t nearly enough to make that.

Some may say a duckless cassoulet is sacrilege, but I know the recipe I chose, which uses tomatoes and a bread crumb topping, could also invite that complaint.  Cassoulet is a dish originally from the Languedoc region in Southern France, with the towns of  Castelnaudary, Toulouse and Carcassonne all claiming credit for its creation and there are as many variations as there are village cooks in that region.  Originally, I’d considered floundering through a Toulouse Cassoulet until I came to my senses realizing I hadn’t the time I needed to construct it.

I made the cassoulet, but I confess that I did not break the “film” that develops over it while it cooks seven times, so evidently, I did not create anything perfect.  Rich, yes.  Perfect, no.  With respect to all that’s good about home cooking, and for someone like me who truly enjoys the process of constructing a dish like this, it’s a great reason to gather a group of special friends for a special meal just because.

Especially on a cold winter’s day.

Cassoulet for 12

For the Beans…

3-1/2 c. dried white beans

1/2 lb. fresh pork rind

1 lb. lean pork belly

bones reserved from pork loin

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

8 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs

4 fresh thyme springs

2 bay leaves

6 peppercorns

3 whole cloves

1 tsp. salt

3-1/2 qt. water

For the Pork Loin…

1-1/2 to 2 lb. boneless pork loin, bones reserved, tied

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

2 T rendered pork, duck, or goose fat or olive oil

1 yellow onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine

For the Lamb…

2 T rendered pork, duck or goose fat or olive oil

2 lob. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2″ cubes

1 yellow onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine

4 Toulouse or other well-seasoned pure pork sausages

For the Topping…

1-1/2 c. coarse dried bread crumbs

2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 c. rendered pork, duck, or goose fat, melted

Prepare the beans first.  Check for stones or bad beans, rinse and drain.  Pour into a medium sauce pan and cover with cold water by 3″.  Cook over high heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes until softened.

In another sauce pan, cover the pork rind and pork belly with cold water by 3″ and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes.  Pour out the water and rinse with cold water twice.  Cut into 1/2″ cubes and set aside.

Prepare the lamb.  In a large heavy pot warm the fat or oil over high heat.  Add the lamb, browning on all sides, 5-8 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, and spices, mixing well.  Add the wine to the mixture and reduce the heat to low, cooking about 1-1/2 hours until meat is tender.

To prepare the pork loin, rub well with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary.  In a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot, heat the fat or olive oil over high heat and brown the pork loin on all sides — about 8 minutes in all.  To the pot, add onions and garlic, stirring for 1-2 minutes.  Add tomatoes and 1-1/2 c. of the wine, reduce heat to low and cover, cooking until meat is tender, about 1 hour.

Prepare beans.  In a large pot, place softened beans, pork rind, pork belly, bones from the loin, onions, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, and salt.  Pour in 3-1/2 water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn the heat to low, and cook for about 1 hour, uncovered.

Once the pork loin is ready, remove it from the pan and add it to the bean pot.  To the remaining pork juices, deglaze the pan over high heat by adding the remaining 1-1/2 c. white wine making sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom.  Boil the liquid until reduced by half, then pour into the bean pot.

When the lamb is ready, scoop out pieces with a slotted spoon and add to the bean pot.  Set the remaining lamb cooking liquid  aside.  Now add the sausages to the beans as well and continue cooking the entire pot for an additional 30 minutes.

While the bean and meat mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

When the bean and meat mixture is finished cooking, remove the pork loin, pork belly and sausages from the beans to a cutting board and cut them into 1/2″ pieces.  Set aside.  With a slotted spoon, remove lamb pieces from the beans to the same plate.  In a 3-1/2 to 4 qt. baking dish or oven proof sauce pan, add a 1″ layer of beans to cover the bottom of the pan.  Add a layer of mixed meat pieces, making sure to distribute types evenly.  Cover the meat mixture with another layer of beans, add another layer of mixed meats, and finish with a layer of beans.

Carefully pour in the lamb juices and enough bean broth to barely cover the top layer of the cassoulet.  Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley, then sprinkle evenly over the top of the cassoulet.  Finish by drizzling the duck or goose fat over the crumb topping.  Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes until a crust has formed.  At that time, use a large spoon to break through the crust, spoon out some broth and pour over the crust.  Bake an additional 15 minutes, and repeat.  Bake until crust is richly browned, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Notes:

• Printable recipe version.

• The recipe I used was adapted from Georgeanne Brennan’s Savoring France which is a Williams-Sonoma publication — a beautiful book I have enjoyed for years.  The list of ingredients above is written exactly as published, but I’ve resorted the directions for the recipe to an order which I strongly believe streamlines the process now that I’ve tried it.

• There were many contenders for my first venture in making cassoulet:

• Martha Stewart’s Cassoulet for 100 (immediately disqualified for obvious reasons) from The Martha Stewart Cookbook (1995 1st ed).  Not only did I lack 94 mouths to feed, I can’t imagine where I’d get the pots, pans, and refrigerator space to create a dish like this for that many, starting with the 16 pounds of beans.  Goodness.
• Julia Child’s “Cassoulet de Porc et Mouton” from Mastering the Art of French Cooking is very similar to the Brennan version (or vice versa) I made.  The biggest differences are:  1) roasting the pork loin, which makes much more sense to me than braising considering it’s a lean cut of meat; and 2) an included recipe for homemade sausage cakes instead of traditional Saucissed de Toulouse, which although tasty sounding, would only require more time and better planning.   She does provide additional variations or substitutions which are great.  But Julia is always great, isn’t she?
• As much as I truly wanted to try Paula Wolfert’s “Toulouse-Style Cassoulet” from Food & Wine, it was even more involved than the one I chose, and required more than a day to construct.  I knew this after having tagged it when it was first published, but in the end, I went with a cassoulet that could be prepared and eaten in one day.  Take the time to peruse her list of ingredients as a comparison.  It’s an interesting variation.
• The New Jersey Monthly published executive chef Dominique Filoni’s “Cassoulet Toulousain” earlier this year and I like the sound of it quite a bit, but couldn’t pull off the duck confit in the time I had.  It’s definitely one to save for later.
• Here’s a version published in the New York Times in 1992 which also includes the duck confit.  It caught my eye because the ingredient list is somewhat uncomplicated.
• Etienne Rousselot’s Cassoulet as published in a Saveur adaptation is the version I will experiment with next, and there will be a next time.  The ingredient list is manageable, it contains the duck confit, and serves fewer.  I like the head of garlic in the mix, as well as the use of ham hocks.  I love ham hocks.
• I did scan quite a few French translations just to consider authenticity, and although the ingredient lists and directions seemed much more simple, some things seemed to get lost in the translation and I wasn’t feeling that adventuresome.
• If you’re someone who just doesn’t get the whole point of spending a day or two — or three — constructing a pot of food for dinner, and wonder why cooking always seems so complicated, here are links for quick and easy cassoulet — 27,000 of them.  I have my own version of this coming soon inspired by a dish I enjoyed at The Crown Inn in Linton, Cambridgeshire, England when we were there this past October.  I asked the waiter if the chef might share the recipe, but never got response.  Oh well, right?

My mother has always been a master at stretching a dollar because she’s had lots of practice most of her life.  As a single mother of three children under the age of five by the time she was 25, she worked hard to put a roof over our heads and food on the table.  She was very good at providing us a life we never considered was lacking, even though by today’s standards, most would say it was.   Our clothes were mended and patched when they began to show wear, and those gently worn were passed down to the next child in line.  Yes, we had toys, but more often, we ran around outside playing with friends at imaginary games. We ate only at meal times, and when we did, the food was simple and filling.  Often, beans were on the menu, and on those days when my little sister asked what we were having for dinner, the response would be, “Hundreds of wonderful things.” And why not when you consider that a two-pound bag of pintos costs only a few dollars even at today’s prices.

As much as I still enjoy a good pot of beans, white beans, or cannellinis, are what we most enjoy now.  Often referred to as white kidney beans, they’re related to navy beans, or great northern beans.  I often keep a can or two in my pantry, but I always have a small bag of dried beans as well.  They find their way into so many different quick dishes these days — like pasta, soup, or salad.  Our favorite way to eat them is with wilted dark greens such as chard or kale, and lots of garlic.  On some nights, sun-dried tomatoes are tossed into the mix, and others, whatever pasta  I have in the pantry helps bring everything together.

This recipe for “Cooked Shell Beans” is from Frank Sitt’s Bottega Favorita and is a good starting point for so many fabulous recipes, including a nice Bean Puree if you add some roasted garlic.  Put a pot on this weekend, and enjoy all the possibilities.

Cooked Cannellinis

18 oz. dried cannelinis (about 3 c.)

1 leek

1 sweet onion

1 carrot

4 cloves garlic

bouquet garni with thyme, marjoram, 2 bay leaves, chives, and several sprigs of flat-leafed parsley

salt & pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil*

Parmesan

Place the pre-soaked beans (see notes below) in a large pot and cover with about 3 inches of cold water.  Split the leek lengthwise, removing the dark green leaves and rinsing the remaining light green and white pieces well.  Quarter the onion and carrot, adding those as well.  Smash the garlic cloves, remove the peels, and add them to the pot.  To make the bouquet garni, take a dark green leek leaf and wrap it around the other herbs, securing the package with a bit of kitchen string.  Add it to the pot with the other ingredients and bring everything to a simmer over medium heat, partially covered.  Continue cooking slowly, about 45 minutes, then stir in  a few large pinches of salt.  Finish cooking at a low simmer until the beans are very tender, an additional 45 minutes or so.

To serve, use your imagination!  Here, cannellinis (sans bean broth) are served with a good extra virgin olive oil, some fresh thyme, maldon salt, cracked pepper, and shaved Parmesan.   However you serve them, don’t throw out the bean broth!  It can be used with the beans for soup, to lighten a pasta dish served with beans, to braise vegetables, or to make bean puree (recipe follows).

Notes:

• Dried beans need to be soaked before cooking.  Slow method: the night before you want to cook them, rinse them in a colander to make sure there are no stones or bad beans.  (Honestly, in all my years, I’ve never seen a stone in my bag of beans, but my teeth can’t afford the risk, so I rinse.)  In a large pot, cover the beans with 2 inches and let them sit overnight.  They’ll swell quite a bit.  Discard the liquid when you’re ready to cook them.  Fast method: Cover the pot and heat the beans and water to a boil.  Turn off the heat and allow the beans to sit covered for about 1 hour.
• During the cooking time, if desired, add water to keep the beans submerged by about 2 inches.  This will give you a good amount of bean broth.  If you choose not to, you’ll have a thicker sauce with your beans.
• I know what you’re thinking.  Beans give you quite a bit of intestinal discomfort.  The soaking process is supposed to help with that, so plan ahead.
• Beans are considered a super food and a rich source of protein, fiber, and antioxidants.  This all adds up to “healthy!”
• Rancho Gordo is a great source of information, products and recipes for beans.
• * When I attended the Foodbuzz Festival last November in San Francisco, I participated in an olive oil tasting seminar.  Not only did I learn that tasting olive oil is a similar process to tasting wine, I received a bottle of California Ranch’s Olio Nuovo to sample.  Its pungent, fresh, grassy taste was a treat I’ll not soon forget.  It was perfect on salads,  crusty bread, and drizzled over these beans.
• The salad is one I never posted:  arugula, fresh mozarella, shallots, roasted cherry peppers (or was it grape tomatoes?), cannellini…I think it was Bittman No. 54.  I’ll have to go back and check.

Cannellini Puree

1 c. cooked cannellinis

2 tsp. roasted garlic

1 small potato, cooked and peeled

salt & pepper to taste

extra virgin olive oil

Add the cannellinis, garlic, and potato to a food processor and run until the mixture is smooth.  If necessary, add a bit of the bean broth to lighten it.    Taste, and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle on some very good extra virgin olive oil.

Use as a dip for crudites, a topping for crostini, and pizza, or filling for ravioli.

Notes:

• I love this.  It’s wonderful as a dip with vegetables in place of fatty sour cream based dips.  Make sure it’s the right consistency and seasoned well.
• If you’d like it with more carbs, toast pieces of a baguette with a bit of olive oil.  Dip them into a bowl of bean puree drizzled with the olive oil.  Fabulous party food.
• The roasted garlic is so good in this.  To send it over the edge, add a bit of the roasted garlic olive oil to the puree before digging in.
• If you’ve never roasted garlic — it’s very easy.  And you don’t need a ceramic roaster.  Aluminum foil will work just fine.  Halve two heads of garlic.  Drizzle olive oil over the heads, salt and pepper, then sprinkle some fresh thyme over.  Roast at 325 degrees about 45 minutes.  Allow to cool then squeeze the garlic from the peelings and mash to use in the beans.  Save the oil — it’s fabulous, but use it quickly over crostini, pasta, risotto, or grilled vegetables.  Roasted garlic is also delicious spread over crusty bread.

I love beans.  I always have.  Although you might catch me sampling the piquant flavors of a great baked beans recipe at a barbeque, I’m more of a straight bean sampler.  Someone who enjoys the texture and taste of a big pot of beans without too many other flavors interfering with that of the bean — not all beans, but most, and I’ve sampled quite a few.

I’m always on the look out for ingredients I’ve read about or wanted to try, and when I spot one in the market, it does go in the basket.  There are no particular plans for its use, but I know there will be at some point in time.  This does cause problems in my pantry at times, but at others, it comes in quite handy.

Like now.

Beans are one of those thrifty, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meals that is also very good for you.  And since everyone seems to be thinking about health after the sweet laden holidays, and perhaps trying to recover from the sticker shock as well, beans are perfect.

I swear my shopping cart left skid marks on the floor when I saw the package of heirloom scarlet runner beans.  They were enormous and mottled in color, and until that point in time, I’d only imagined them in full summery scarlet bloom growing chaotically on a picket fence — like sweet peas without the varied pastel colors.  I swear I didn’t know the plant actually produced beans that could be eaten, but I’ve never been much of a vegetable gardener, unfortunately.

The package didn’t appear to hold that many beans, so I didn’t hesitate to prepare the entire bag for the three of us.  Meatless Monday has turned into meatless Tuesday and Wednesday lunch, and yes, there is still enough to share.

Definitely cost effective, but also full of nutrients, like vitamin B-17 which is believed to be a cancer-fighter.  They’re low in saturated fat, and can help reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  It really is true that they’re good for your heart just like that ditty goes.

And then there were those rutabagas…

Heirloom Scarlet Runner Bean & Vegetable Soup

12 oz. dried scarlet runner beans
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1 lg. brown onion, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. salt
1 leek, white & light green parts only, sliced and rinsed well
3 rutabagas, peeled and cubed
1/2 heat cabbage, sliced
1 c. cooked white rice optional

The night before, soak the beans in water making sure they’re covered by 1-2 inches.  The next day about 4 hours before serving, drain the soaking water, then refill the pot to cover the beans, again by at least 2 inches.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 3 hours.  If necessary, add more water during cooking time to keep beans covered by one inch.

Taste test the beans to make sure they’re tender before removing them from the heat, and draining them.  Reserve the bean broth and place beans in a bowl to set aside.

In the same pot the beans cooked in, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and stir occasionally until soft and just beginning to brown.  Add the garlic, herbs, and salt, mixing well, and continue cooking for and additional 2-3 minutes.

Add 4 c. of hot water, stirring to scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil.  Add the rutabagas and leek to the mix and continue to cook at a low simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Taste to correct seasoning and add salt if necessary.

Return the beans to the mixture and 2 c. of the reserved bean broth.  Place the sliced cabbage over the mixture and put a lid on the pot to allow the cabbage to cook, about 10 minutes.  Stir the cabbage into the mixture when it’s softened, and if necessary, add more bean broth to achieve the consistency you desire.

Serve really hot with some shaved parmesan or a sprinkle of feta.  On the second night, add a salad.  For lunch the next day, sprinkle on some habanero sauce.  Mmmm….

Notes:

• This recipe was adapted from Alice Water’s “Winter Minestrone” which she adapted from a recipe in The Art of Simple Food. Her recipe uses cannellini beans and potatoes with turnips.
• These are some seriously tough beans!  Even after the over night soak, they needed to cook forever!  Definitely a candidate for a pressure cooker if you have one.
• When I soak beans overnight I do so in cold water.  If I want to speed things up a bit, I bring the beans to a boil, and then let them soak.  I think these beans needed the heat and boil and then an overnight soak.
• When the beans were cooking, I had to add quite a bit of water during the day.  I don’t have an exact quantity, but would estimate about 4-5 cups of water or more.  I was surprised.
• The bean broth is very dark but flavorful.  Make sure it’s seasoned properly or you’ll be treated to something fairly bland.
• My husband liked it, but my 16-year-old wasn’t thrilled.  He had a bowl two nights in a row, though, so he gets credit for that.  He said the texture of the beans wasn’t great, but I think it’s because they still may not have been completely done.
• I’m curious about scarlet runner beans now and am looking for different recipes.  I’m thinking tomatoes would be excellent, and chard.  Let me know if you have a good one, and don’t forget to eat your beans!  Your body will thank you years from now, and your wallet will thank you now.
• This is a pleasant soup that many flavors can be tasted in.  The rutabagas provide a bit of sweetness which is delicious.
• Toward the end of the cooking time, I included a cup of cooked rice I had in the fridge.  My son likes rice, and although it didn’t do anything to take away from the dish, it didn’t especially add anything, either.  Talk about taking thrifty over the edge.
• Plan for the future:  Cook the beans until tender, reduce the quantity for the soup and freeze the rest for future use and experimentation.

Having been a resident of San Diego for so many years, it’s impossible not to get caught up in our Chargers even though there always seems to be just as many fans in the stadium for the opposing team as there are Chargers fans.  Lots of people who grew up elsewhere find their way here because of the weather and they rarely leave, but manage to hang on to their old teams enough to drive the rest of us crazy.  Inevitably, a comment is shouted about something to the effect of, “If you’re loving your blinking bleebs so much, then why don’t you go back to where you came from…” when the visitors are winning, and their San Diego fans are loudly proclaiming their superiority on the field.  Ah, the joys of being sports fans!

Being married to the most intense sports fan you’d ever imagine has helped me understand more about football than I’d have ever known otherwise.  Unfortunately, he’s more of a cup-half-empty guy when it comes to sports, and suffers from knowing way too much — using all the statistics he naturally holds in his brain to calculate possibilities for their athletic demise.   It’s a sight to behold, watching his intensity each week, often standing in front of the television with his arms crossed instead of slouched in a chair with a beer.

He’s not much of a beer guy.  He likes Coke — and hot tea.

But he’ll be at the game today, so I’ll be home with our 16-year-old, cheering for our team with my usual it’s not over ’till the fat lady sings attitude when it comes to our Chargers.  And no….I’m not planning on being the singing fat lady.

To spice things up a bit, I happen to have a bet going with a foodie friend Peter over at Kalofagas regarding the outcome of this game today.  His pick is Indy, and I’m saying no way on that one.  The Chargers are going all the way.  They’re so due.  Over due.  Peter and I have agreed that should out team lose, we must admit our defeat, worship the winning team, and celebrate the winning city.  I sure hope he’s studying about San Diego right now, because he’s going to have a lot to write about.

But now for some real spice.

How about a big ol’ pot o’ chili for the game?

Game Day Chili Beans

3 T olive oil
1-1/2 lbs ground sirloin
1-1/2 lbs ground pork
2 brown onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 green chilis, seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 T Reshampatti chili
2 T ground cumin
2 T ground coriander
1 T sugar
2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. Mexican oregano, dried
3 c. beef broth
28 oz. can pinto beans, juice included
28 oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
5 chipotle chilis in adobo, chopped
1 c. salsa de chili fresca
1/4 c. tomato paste
1 T cider vinegar
juice of 1 lime
salt to taste

In a Dutch oven or other large pot, heat oil and cook the pork and beef over high heat, allowing it to sit as long as possible to brown before breaking it up.

Add onions, red pepper, and chilis to the pot and cook until onions are softened.  Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, sugar, thyme, oregano, and cook about 10 minutes, until well blended and very fragrant.

Pour in broth, beans with juice, tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, chipotles, and vinegar.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer over very low heat at least 1-1/2 hours, making sure to stir occasionally.

Before serving, taste, and add salt to your liking along with the juice of 1 lime.

Serve with some freshly chopped cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese.  Extra lime slices and a hand full of tortilla chips are perfect.

Notes:

• I don’t have a favorite chili recipe so am forever looking for a new one.  I found the original recipe for Grant Achatz’ Beef Chili with Beans at Food & Wine, and although I kept the “bones” of his recipe, there was no way I could include the amount of heat and have anyone but myself, my sister, and her husband be able to eat it.  His recipe called for 6 T of two different kinds of chili powder and 1 tsp. cayenne in addition to the chipotles in adobo and some black pepper.  That’s quite a bit o’ burn.
• Reshampatti chili powder can be found at the Indian grocers or on line.  I had some in my pantry because of an Indian dinner party my friends and I had last year.  It’s much more spicy than regular chili powder, and bright red in color.  Although I also have chipotle powder, which isn’t as spicy, I decided not to use it since I’d be adding the chipotles in adobo.  When I’m deciding which spices to include, I taste them plain.  It’s the only way to judge without spoiling an entire dinner.
• Speaking of the chipotles in adobo — chipotles are dried jalapeno peppers.  Adobo is a rich tomato-based sauce they’re marinated in.  You can find them canned in many grocery stores (Embassa label) or on line.
• I choose lean ground meat for good flavor and little fat that rises to the surface during cooking and needs to be ladled off.
• Salsa de chili fresco is a delicious hot tomato sauce and another canned product (El Pato) that can be found in the grocery store or on line.  Plain tomato sauce will work just fine if you’re not into heat.
• I love beans in chili, and although this is very good, I’d add another can, but without the additional liquid.  It has a tendency to be a little sweet, and I think that would spoil the balance of heat in this.
• The heat in this chili is way back in the mouth on the sides of your tongue.  It’s a slow, warm burn that takes a while to build.  We all classified it as “hot” but those who don’t prefer spice in their food were still able to enjoy it.
• Salty chips intensifies the heat, so by all means, use those tortilla chips to scoop up the chili and don’t forget to squeeze that lime.
• Everyone was quite pleased with this recipe, and as often happens, it was even better the next day.

Okay, everyone, wish me luck in my bet.  Goooooooo Chargers!

Green beans go way back in my family.  And when I think of them, it's usually not the crispy sauteed with garlic and a few shallots way I routinely fix them now, but something that's a meal in itself:  A big pot of fresh green beans with quartered, unpeeled potatoes, and lots of onions, sauteed in bacon fat, and then stewed slowly until the mixture is somewhere between a soup and a stew. We ate it for dinner, and I can imagine that it most likely was light on my mom's wallet.  It wasn't a favorite, but I wasn't allowed to mention that part because it was food.

I have found a happy medium for dinner now, occasionally.  Especially during the holidays when someone expects "Green Bean Casserole."  You know the casserole I'm talking about, right?  The one developed by the Campbell Soup company in the 1950's  and made with Durkee's fried onions?  Yes, that recipe.

Because my family never ate green beans in a casserole, and we'd never have had our version of beans at a special dinner, I'd never tried green bean casserole until I was well into my adult years.  And when it was my turn to make it for a holiday meal, I did what I normally do — alter the recipe. 

It had to be better if it was made with fresh green beans that still had a hint of crunch to them, didn't it?  And the creaminess had to be able to come from something other than a soup can.  Don't get me wrong.  If you've spent any amount of time reading here, then you know that I was raised eating very simple, wholesome food.  So, I played around with a fresh mushroom saute with caramelized onions, rehydrated mushrooms and used the broth, made a white sauce, added some garlic, but never quite got the flavors to blend well.  It always tasted like greenbeans with sauce on them.

A year ago, I saw a recipe in Saveur that I had to try.  The only problem with it was that I'd have to make crispy fried onions and couldn't imagine doing that on a busy holiday cooking day.  Who comes up with these ideas?  Clearly, someone who doesn't have responsibility for an entire meal.  The only problem is, even though I prepped everything the way the recipe read, I sort of forgot to think about the whole onion frying thing.  Oops.

Since then I've tried the recipe quite a few ways — fried onions and no fried onions, and have found the flavors so nice, that a few shallots works just fine when you're too busy to mess with deep frying.

This year, since we're seriously out of commission due to construction, I'm in charge of green beans for Thanksgiving dinner — and a bunch of other non-turkey items.  I'm going to fry the onions at home first, and store them in an airtight container to assemble the dish after the drive to my sister-in-law's house right before baking time.  I'll have to let you know how it goes since I am anything but the Queen of the Deep Fry.

Have green been casserole, will travel. 

Green Bean Casserole with Chantrelles

3 c. chicken broth
1/2 oz. dried chantrelle mushrooms
salt to taste
1-1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
olive oil
1-1/4 c. flour
2 small onions, very thinnly  sliced
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1/3 c. heavy cream
cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat chicken broth in the microwave in a large glass measuring cup.  When hot, remove and add the dried chantrelles.  Let soak for at least 20 minutes.  When done, pour through a coffee filter to remove and sediment.  Reserve broth, and coarsely chop mushrooms.  Set both aside.

While the mushrooms are soaking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and prepare an ice bath in an equally large bowl.  When the water comes to a boil, drop the green beans in all at once and cook until just before they're tender, no more than 5 minutes.  Scoop them from the hot water and immediately into the ice bath to stop the cooking.  Add additional ice if necessary.  When completely cool, remove, and drain on a clean towel.  Set aside.

In a pot with tall sides, pour a good amount of oil — enough to cook small batches of the onions without crowding.  If you have a cooking thermometer, heat the oil to 350 degrees.  Pour 1 cup of the flour into a wide bowl for dipping, and a handfull at a time, dunk the onion slices, pushing them around until they're well coated.  Remove them from the flour and shake off the excess.  Drop them into the hot oil and let bubble and cook until golden brown in color — about 3 minutes.  Remove and place on paper towels to drain.  There should be very little fat on the towel if your oil is heated properly.  Allow oil to reheat before repeating the process until all onions are fried. 

Spray a 3-qt. casserole with oil and set aside.  In a large skillet, heat the butter oil.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 c. flour into the skillet, stirring quickly and cooking about 1 minute.  Slowly add the chicken musroom broth, stirring well to avoid lumps of flour.  Bring to a boil and reduce to medium low, simmering and stirring occasionally until it becomes thick, 10-15 minutes.  Stir in the cream and remove from heat.

In the prepared casserole, add half the beans, half the fried onions, half the mushrooms, and half the sauce.  Repeat, but finish with fried onions on top.  Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Notes:

• I'd recommend this if you were in charge of the beans — period.  You could have some fun with it, and the fried onions are seriously tasty if you make sure the fat is always at the right temp.
• The first time I made this recipe, I dusted the onions, and fried them in a cast iron skillet.  Not beautiful to look at, but delicious, the flour browning with the onions.  More of a homey look and taste.  That's what happens when I don't read the directions 10 times and am making 10 other dishes, right? 
• A nice version with much less work is to skip the sliced onions.  Chop some pancetta and saute then remove from the pan.  Mince or slice 1-2 shallots.  Brown them in the oil/butter mixture then add a couple of tablespoons of flour, stirring to cook off flour taste.  Then add the chicken mushroom broth and let thicken.  Then add cream.  When heated, add the green beans, stir, and let simmer to warm through.  Sprinkle pancetta over and serve. Truly tasty.  And yes, bacon is excellent…
• The layered effect in this version of the recipe allows the onions in the center to soften as the casserole heats in the oven.  The top layer of onions can get really brown, so keep an eye on them.
• If you want something easier to bite into, then cut the green beans.  We love them long. It does make it difficult to scoop from the baking dish, though.
• If you actually have any of this left over in any version, it's completely delicious the next day for lunch.  In fact, this makes a meal all by itself if you grew up like I did with a pot of green beans to eat for dinner. 
• The original recipe can be found on the Saveur site here.