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For beans |
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1
cup/200 g/6 1/2 oz dried white haricot beans or navy beans |
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1
onion spiked with 2 cloves |
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1
carrot, peeled and quartered |
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bouquet garni |
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salt and pepper |
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For croûtes |
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1
French baguette, cut in 3/8-inch/1-cm slices |
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2
tablespoons olive oil, bacon fat or goose fat |
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1/2 cup/60 g/2 oz grated Cantal or cheddar cheese
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1. Soften beans: Soak dried beans overnight
in plenty of cold water and drain. Alternatively, put them in a
saucepan with enough water to cover generously. Bring to a boil,
cover pan and remove from heat. Leave beans to stand for 1 hour,
then drain.
2. Place softened beans, onion spiked with
cloves, carrot and bouquet garni in a pan with water to cover.
Cover with lid and simmer until the beans are done, 1 1/2-2
hours -- if beans get dry during cooking, add more water. Season
with salt and pepper when beans are almost tender. When beans
are done, discard onion, carrot and bouquet garni.
3. In a large heavy-based pot, melt 2
tablespoons of the butter, add turnips, carrots, cabbage, leeks,
celery, potatoes, salt and pepper and press a piece of buttered
foil on top. Cover with lid and sweat, stirring occasionally,
until the vegetables are nearly tender but not browned, 15-20
minutes.
4. Add beans and their cooking liquid, water
to cover, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until the vegetables
are very tender, 20-30 minutes. Taste soup and adjust seasoning.
5. Meanwhile, make croûtes: Heat oven to
400°F/200°C/Gas6. Set bread slices on an oiled baking sheet and
brush slices with oil. Bake in heated oven until brown, 8-10
minutes. Turn them over, sprinkle croûtes with grated cheese and
bake until well browned, 8-10 minutes.
6. If necessary, bring soup back to a boil.
Stir in chopped parsley and ladle into individual bowls. Float
croûtes on top and serve at once.
Quick Fix
If beans are overcooked or tasteless,
transform them into a simple version of Mexican fried beans:
Drain the beans and coarsely crush them. For every quart/liter/2
1/3 pt beans, dice 6 thin slices of bacon. Fry in a large frying
pan until fat runs. Add 1 chopped onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves
and, if you like, 1 small green chili pepper, peeled, seeded and
chopped. Continue frying, stirring until bacon and onions are
brown. Stir in crushed beans and cook, stirring constantly,
until very hot, 5-7 minutes. Serves 6.
This Recipe of the Month
selection comes from Anne Willan's
Cook It Right (Reader's Digest,
1998). To order your copy please call 1-800-788-6262.
