Tuscan Baked Beans
Jan 8th, 2008 | By Hank | Category: Italian, The Garden | Comments | 5 Comments |
I’ve had a thing for beans ever since I was an impoverished graduate student in Wisconsin, where my diet largely consisted of fish I’d caught, various grains, goat necks, chicken drumsticks, ground pork and lots and lots of beans.
But it’s always the same story, isn’t it? You love the dry bean, too, right, but you left the faithful legume once you began earning enough money to buy more meat. Who needs you, bean, when I can afford steak or salmon? I was guilty of this, as has been much of the rest of Western Civilization. Doubt me? Read my colleague Ken Albala’s book then.
I recently read Ken’s book and wrote about it for the Stockton Record, which got me thinking about beans again. How could I have abandoned you, bean? I felt guilty. But I had grown cannellini and borlotti beans this year, as well as favas; my Italian neighbor grows an odd all-black cowpea that I’ve yet to cook, but I have a jar full of the little legumes waiting for water and heat.
What to do? I love traditional New England baked beans, but I am doing more Italian and Spanish stuff these days, so I thought I’d alter that traditional recipe for Mediterranean tastes. Guanciale or pancetta instead of bacon, chopped fennel, homemade saba and a little red wine. Mmmm. The result is above.
How did they come out? Silky, smooth, sweet, dense, rich and smokey. Total comfort food. I’ve made two versions of this recipe thus far, and each time I find myself eating it for both lunch and dinner. It’s that good. Here is the recipe.
UPDATE: Turns out I’m not the only one in a beany mood. The Well-Seasoned Cook is hosting a bean recipe event right now. Can’t wait to see what others dream up for this.
I have a soft spot for beans. My french grandfather made us eat them prior to our meal, and as a kid I hated them. Now I love them. I love refried beans. I love baked beans. Love simply prepared tuscan white beans. Love them all.
Beans rock. End of.
You grow your own cannellini? I’ve got to try that. Love beans and have always stayed faithful (’cause that’s how I roll haha)
Yeah, I do grow my own beans, mostly as a cover crop for my other things. My garden is not really big enough to dedicate too much space to summer beans, so I will only get 3-4 meals from my cannellini. Favas, being a winter bean, are quite another story…
Fennel, molasses, duck broth…sounds beautiful. This would, indeed, be a perfect recipe for a crock pot (as another commenter said). Thank you, Hank, for this really creative take on an American classic.