Portuguese bean soup, pork and beans, Zippy’s chili, tofu, hummus, edamame — beans are at the heart of these delicious dishes we enjoy in Hawaii. Shave ice, mochi and manju, too. So, let’s talk about beans.
Beans were among the first agricultural crops planted by nomadic people who decided to settle down. Someone figured out that the seeds of plants could be put back into the ground to grow again. Beans, fresh and later dried as storage food, became an important part of ancient peoples’ diets, the nutrient-rich plant seeds providing protein and energy.
Beans haven’t changed much over the thousands of years they’ve been around, except that there may be fewer varieties grown today.
Soybeans are probably the most consumed, used fresh, sprouted, dried and in foods such as tofu, soybean milk, noodles, soy sauce and miso. They are also important in the diets of a number of animals that provide food for our tables.
Coming second are probably haricots, a category that includes common beans such as runner, lima, black turtle, kidney, pinto, cranberry, borlotti, tepary, cannellini and navy. These are the beans we bake, stew, simmer and mash for many dishes. Favas, or broad beans, were once predominant, eaten fresh or dried and used in crop rotations to prevent erosion and fix nitrogen in the soil.
Beans are a great base upon which to build a simple one-bowl meal. Like rice or pasta, they take on the flavor of ingredients and seasonings they are cooked with. Unlike rice and pasta, beans provide lots of protein, iron, calcium and soluble fiber known to lower cholesterol. Beans are nutritious, inexpensive and easy to prepare.
Ah, yes, preparation time. Dried beans do take one to three hours to cook. Fresh dried beans — those up to 1 year old, usually from small producers — take less time, depending on the size and variety of bean. Soaking beans for several hours or overnight can shorten cooking time, as can pressure-cooking.
Of course, there is the option of using canned beans to make quick meals. But I find canned beans too soft and sometimes salty; it’s a good idea to rinse canned beans before you use them in a recipe.
Cook beans in plenty of liquid, covering them by at least 2 inches. Use water or a stock. Adding garlic or onion can enhance flavor. Just bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat, allowing beans to simmer until tender. You can leave them alone while you do other tasks in the kitchen.
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>> Rancho Gordo beans: My favorite dried beans come from Rancho Gordo in Napa, Calif. I buy the 1-pound bags whenever I see them in mainland food specialty stores or farmers markets, or I order them online at ranchogordo.com. There are two reasons to love these beans. First, they are all heirloom varieties, including cargamanto cranberry, vallarta, tepary, rio zape, mayocoba, borlotti, black valentine, ayocote negro and more familiar ones such as garbanzo, lima, cannellini, flageolet and black. Second, the beans are grown in small quantities so after they are dried, they do not sit for years in storage or on market shelves. Their freshness allows them to cook in a short time and keeps them tasty.
>> Pancetta: Pancetta is Italian bacon that is unsmoked and usually made from a whole pork belly. It is seasoned and rolled into a cylinder. If possible, have a thick slice (1 to 1-1/2 inches, 6 to 8 ounces) cut for you so you can dice the pancetta into small cubes. Packaged slices are very thin and best used crisped for salads or pasta.
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Remember that beans expand as they cook: A pound doesn’t look like much in a bag but will triple or quadruple when cooked.
I prefer to salt beans when I add my final ingredients. The simplest way is to add lots of chopped garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Then serve them as is, add them to salads and soups, use them in burritos or combine beans with pasta for pasta e fagioli.
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This one-bowl meal is a favorite that I like to serve to friends. It has few ingredients, and you can be creative with it. Use white beans — navy or cannellini — or make it colorful with pintos, cranberry or borlotti beans. You could even use canned beans of your choice.
Crinkly leaves of chard are rich in vitamins A, K and C; the combination of chard and beans helps the body absorb the calcium in the beans. Chard is also a good source of fiber and minerals, including magnesium, a mineral good for lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of diabetes. Other leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, collards or mustard greens, could be substituted. For the pancetta, you can substitute bacon, ham or even leftover chicken. Keeping this dish vegetarian is also an option; a sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese would be delicious.
BEANS WITH CHARD AND PANCETTA
1-1/2 cups dried beans (about 8 ounces)
1 pound chard
6 ounces pancetta
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Place beans in 4-quart saucepan and cover with water by 2 inches. Place over high heat and bring liquid to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer beans, covered, until tender, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
Rinse chard well, drain and cut crosswise into 1-inch segments. Set aside.
Cut pancetta into 1/4-inch dice. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and drain fat. Discard remaining oil.
When beans are cooked, check amount of liquid remaining. If it is covering beans, drain off some so beans are moist but not swimming in liquid. Add garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add chard.
Return saucepan to stove over medium heat and cook until chard is wilted, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with pancetta. Serves 4.
Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 520 calories, 25 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,400 mg sodium, 52 g carbohydrate, 21 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 25 g protein
