Meeting the bean challege

This week's food challenge was beans. Having long since been a fan of Fasolia Gigantes and dying to make my own. The wee jars where I'd had my first taste from Trader Joe's were great but they were also pricey and well, wee. Being the piglet I am, that just wouldn't do so I set out to create my own. I acquired my own baggie of dried gigantes, read up on several recipes, checked my cupboards and settled for the following:



They are creamy and delicious. Not quite as buttery as the jarred version but I suspect that's because I cut way down on the standard recipe amount of oil in an attempt for some calorie control however I think the flavors were much better. More vibrant and addictive.

Fasolia Gigante

500 grams dried gigantes
2 bay leaves
1 onion finely diced
2 carrots finely diced
2 tsp chopped garlic
1.5 tsp oregano
1.5 tsp thyme
2 oz grape seed oil (olive is traditional but I didn't have it)
28 oz canned diced tomato
1.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp pepper
2 tsp sugar
0.5 cup chicken broth (you can probably use veggie as well to keep this vegetarian)

Soak gigantes over night.

Add gigantes to pot with 2 bay leaves and cover with enough water to be 2 inches over the top of the beans. Simmer for about an hour until tender. (I used a crock pot on high and left the house to do some errands here.) Drain beans, reserving a cup of the bean water.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Heat oil in a wide oven safe pot (I used my giant oval dutch oven for this) and add
onions, carrots, garlic, oregano, and thyme. Saute for about 10 minutes until onions are translucent.

Add can of tomato, salt, pepper, and sugar. Simmer for another 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened. Add drained beans and broth. Stir up a bit and stick into oven. At about the 30 minute mark I take it out and stir it up a bit. If it looks like its drying out add in some of the reserved bean water. Bake for another 30 minutes. Take out and cool. This is great served luke warm as an appetizer or snack.