But, sometimes
we cook them from the dried source and this always reminds me of the tales about
Monday being both bean and laundry day; beans would simmer all day while the
housewife washed clothes. Of course that’s back in the day when clothes were
washed in a wringer washer and then hung outdoors to dry.
Although my
grandmothers and mother frequently cooked ham and beans, I never remember them
as a weekly occurrence. I do remember that during the 1950s my mom had a stove
with a built-in bean and soup pot.
Back then Mom would always soak the beans
overnight. Today I prefer the “quick-soak” method described below.
Great Northern Beans with Ham
1 lb. Great Northern beans (2 cups)
6 to 8 cups hot water
-------
Ham bone and about 1 cup+ ham pieces (we used leftovers from
a baked ham dinner)
1 ½ cups chopped onions
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
½ to 1 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
6 cups water
-------
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour mixed with a little cold
water to form a slurry
Salt to taste if needed
- Quick
Soak for Beans — Rinse and sort beans and put in 6 to 8 cups of hot water.
Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let
stand. Drain and rinse beans.
Beans initially cook for just 2 minutes after they come to boil in the "quick soak" method. - Meanwhile in a soup pot, combine ham bone, ham pieces, 1 ½ cups chopped onions, bay leaves, black and red pepper flakes and 6 cups water. Heat to boiling and then cover and simmer.
- Add
quick soak beans that have been drained. Cover and simmer gently until desired
doneness is achieved and beans are tender, about 2 hours. Note: Add dried
oregano leaves and garlic during about the last hour of cooking, along with the
flour slurry that will thicken beans just slightly. About 30 minutes before
serving, check and adjust seasoning and add a little salt if needed.
Beans are ready to eat when they can easily be squashed between your thumb and finger.
Related Recipe: Hearty Bean Soup Mix and Soup
Recipe without photos:
Great Northern Beans with Ham
1 lb. Great Northern beans (2 cups)
6 to 8 cups hot water
-------
Ham bone and about 1 cup+ ham pieces (we used leftovers from a baked ham dinner)
1 ½ cups chopped onions
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
½ to 1 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
6 cups water
-------
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour mixed with a little cold water to form a slurry
Salt to taste if needed
- Quick Soak for Beans — Rinse and sort beans and put in 6 to 8 cups of hot water. Bring to a rapid boil; boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand. Drain and rinse beans.
- Meanwhile in a soup pot, combine ham bone, ham pieces, 1 ½ cups chopped onions, bay leaves, black and red pepper flakes and 6 cups water. Heat to boiling and then cover and simmer.
- Add quick soak beans that have been drained. Cover and simmer gently until desired doneness is achieved and beans are tender, about 2 hours. Note: Add dried oregano leaves and garlic during about the last hour of cooking, along with the flour slurry that will thicken beans just slightly. About 30 minutes before serving, check and adjust seasoning and add a little salt if needed.
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