Another dish that uses dehydrated/dry pulses that when left overnight in water they hydrate and ‘come back to life’. Butter beans, a Greek meze dish, cooked in a tomato sauce is simply delicious and don’t forget to dip your bread for the goodness left in the dish!
Butter Beans
Ingredients
- 500 grs Butter Beans , from Kastoria-Greece if possible
- 120 ml EVOO , (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- 600 grs Fresh Tomatoes , grated (or a 400 grs can of finely chopped tomatoes)
- 1 Red Chili , deseeded and finely sliced
- 2 medium Carrots , halfway cut and then in half rings, 2-3 mm thickness.
- 2 sticks Celery , cut same size as the carrots, 2-3 mm thickness
- 2 Yellow Onions , roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh Parsley , finely chopped
- 1 Orange juice
- 200-300 ml Water , from the one used to boil the broad beans, plus more
- 2 teaspoons Sweet Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Red-pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- From previous night soak the Butter Beans in water, for about 12 hours.
- In a large saucepan cover the Butter Beans with the water that the broad beans were soaking in and add more to be 4 cm above their level. Bring the water to a boil and simmer for about 1 hour, to be soft but not falling apart, with the lid of the saucepan half covered. Avoid cleaning the foam created in the water.
- Turn off the heat and keep the Butter Beans in the saucepan with the water until later needed.
- While the Butter Beans are simmering, turn the oven to 180 degrees C, air circulation, and put your rack halfway in the oven.
- Use an oven dish, nonstick, and add in the following sequence: Butter beans, celery, parsley, carrots, onions, pepper, orange juice, water used in boiling as much needed to cover everything and add more if needed, tomatoes, oil, paprika, pepper flakes, carefully stir and toss with a wooden spoon.
- Place the dish in the oven and cook for about 1 hours and 45 minutes with the aim of most of the liquid to have evaporated. Halfway and ongoing in the cooking process check the dish carefully stir and if dry add more water.
- When cooking is over place the dish on the highest rack, turn the oven to grill mode with high heat and grill the dish for 3 minutes to achieve a nice ‘burned’ effect on the ingredients. Keep an eye not to burn your dish!!
