THE BLUE VERVAIN KITCHEN
12. CANNELLINI BASICS
Carol Ann and I are partial to this particular variety of bean. Flavor, texture and color are all 100%. This lovely white bean is particularly versatile as it picks up color from other ingredients so well. Most darker beans just get muddier looking.
We always buy our dried beans from our local bean grower. It’s a matter of quality and trust.
https://www.carlson-arbogastfarm.com
There is some current science which suggests that the bean is equipped with some self preservation devices which are not necessarily easy on our digestive systems and should be avoided if not cooked thoroughly and under pressure. A pressure cooker.
As with all things, some will go along and some will dismiss it as bullshit. I think the former is logical and since I love my new All-Clad pressure cooker – huge time saver and perfect control – I now do all of my beans this way.
Start by picking and sorting to make sure there are no pebbles (broken teeth) and a tepid water rinse. I use a 2 quart Ball Jar. This is 1 pound of cannellini beans and a 4 hour soak.
Here I have a quart of stock from the chicken stock fundamentals (essay 9) and the pressure cooker.
Note: Observe the sludge layer at the bottom of the stock jar. This is sediment and I’ll take care not to pour it into the beans.
Rinsed beans in the pot.
A quart of stock for one pound of beans.
Note: This is actually a measurement – something I typically avoid, however, a pound of beans and quart of stock is not really a measurement but more of a convenience.
A gob of butter and a modest bit of kosher salt. The butter does two things. It reduces foaming in the pot and imparts a little flavor. Be careful with the salt.
With my All-Clad, I do beans on program 1 (vegetables) for various amounts of time depending on what tooth I’m looking for. Typically they go from 5 to 9 minutes. I love this tool.
These cannellini beans were in for 8 minutes.
As soon as I can open the pot, I drain the broth and immediately run the beans under cold water to stop the cooking. That’s extremely important. It’s very fast and does not dilute the flavor of the bean.
Some of these beans will go into an upcoming chicken soup (essay 13). What I don’t use will go into a jar in the fridge and get used on salads, in omelettes and on and on and on etc.,etc.
The bean broth (remember it started out as chicken stock) will go into the soup that’s coming up. It does has some salt in it. Always taste before using.
At this stage, after the cold water rinse, I like to grab a hand full (like nuts), sprinkle a little Maldon’s sea salt and cram a mouth full just to make sure they’re up to snuff.
MORE BLUE VERVAIN KITCHEN ESSAYS
6. easy reach vegetables
7. peel an egg
8. stretch a chicken
9. chicken stock fundamentals
10. motley salmon
11. crazy pretzels
12. cannellini basics
13. quick chicken soup
14. a dinner surprise
Thanks for visiting with me.
Paul V’Soske
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