Tuscan White Beans

May 28, 2009

I chose this recipe from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything because 1) it looked easy, and 2) I had most of the ingredients on hand.  Frankly, reading through the ingredient list makes it sound a bit boring.  I know – my standards are high.  Fortunately, I was wrong about the “boring” assumption.

This recipe is great – it has more flavor and depth than you’d expect and is absurdly easy.  It’s a light tasting dish, making it great for summer.

Tuscan White Beans Recipe

You’ll need a half pound of dried white beans (navy, cannellini, Great Northern), a tablespoon of dried sage (or 20 fresh leaves), two teaspoons minced fresh garlic, and a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Sautéed sausage and red pepper is an optional addition.  I’ve made this dish twice, one time with the sausage and pepper, and one time without.  You’re welcome to soak the beans ahead of time – it will probably take off 30 minutes of cooking time – but it is not required.

Wash and pick through your beans, then put them in a medium saucepan and cover with water. How much water you ask?  Enough so they are completely covered, then the rest is up to you.  The more water you add at the beginning, the less you’ll need to add while cooking, but it also means you’ll have to pour off more water at the end.  I left about 3/4 of an inch of water above the top of the beans.  The key is to keep the beans submerged during cooking, regardless of when you add water.

Bring your beans to a boil over high heat for a few seconds, then turn the heat down so they simmer.  Stir in your sage and partially cover the saucepan.

Now just let the beans simmer, stirring occasionally, until they soften slightly (about an hour maybe?).  At this point, add salt (~1/2 teaspoon) and pepper, then continue to cook the beans until they reach your preferred tenderness.  Remember to add water so they don’t dry out.

All that’s left is to drain the beans, stir in the garlic, more salt and pepper to taste, the olive oil, and the sauteed pepper and sausage if you are using them.

That’s all.

I found the sage flavor to be quite strong in this dish, while my mom and girlfriend hardly noticed it.  If you make it, let me know if you find the sage strong or not.

No-Look Cooking

Recipe

• Simmer white beans with sage, drain, stir in garlic and olive oil

Cooking Techniques/Tips to Remember

• Cooking beans: bring to a boil, lower heat to a simmer
• Add salt when beans begin to soften

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound dried white beans (navy, cannellini, Great Northern), washed and picked through
• 1 tablespoon dried sage (or 20 fresh leaves)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 red pepper, chopped and sautéed (optional)
• 1 sausage link, chopped and sautéed (optional)

Recipe

1. Cover your beans with water in a medium saucepan.  It doesn’t really matter how much water, just as long as they are covered.  You can add more water if it gets too dry, or drain it if you have extra at the end.  I usually have 3/4 – 1 inch of water covering the beans.
2. Bring the beans to a boil, then reduce the heat so they simmer.  Stir in the sage and cover partially.
3. Cook the beans until they begin to soften, then add some salt and pepper.  Don’t go overboard, you can add more at the end if it needs it.
4. Continue to simmer until the beans are at your desired tenderness.  Drain the beans, then add the minced garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.  Also stir in the pepper and sausage if you are using them.  Serve and enjoy!

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