Brothy Beans from BA’s test Kitchen

This recipe will give you the most flavorful beans you’ve ever tasted, and it’s just a matter of making sure your beans stay at a slow simmer the whole time. Like the slowest simmer you can imagine. The recipe came from a Bon Appetit Test Kitchen video on how to make a great pot of beans, you can watch the video here. Carla Lalli learned the recipe for these magical beans (as she calls them, and it’s true) from Marlow & Son’s restaurant in Brooklyn. She talks about salt, fat, and time being the key to your success with these beans. Add salt (kosher) and taste throughout the time you’re cooking the beans, and whenever you add a new ingredient. The beans can take a lot of fat as well, I use olive oil, but feel free to use any fat you have, chicken fat, duck fat, etc. The time refers to letting them simmer very gently, this will give you a nice creamy texture, and the flavors will really come out in the herbs and other aromatics you add. Think of it as a big pot of bean tea, and you’re just steeping them in a flavorful liquid.

Resource: Brothy Butter Beans from BA/Alison Roman’s chile oil

Adapted by: Tierney Larson

Ingredients:

1 lb of dried cannellini beans or dried butter beans

Kosher Salt

1 lemon halved

6 sprigs of fresh oregano, plus a few more sprigs to add at the end

6 sprigs of fresh mint, plus a few more sprigs to add at the end

1 head of garlic peeled and smashed

1 tbl of coriander seeds crushed

1 cup of olive oil

a splash of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar (at the end)

Optional toppings:

some bread or fried eggs to serve

1/4 cup olive oil

1 shallot sliced thinly

4 garlic cloves sliced thinly

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

So..The night before, soak your beans in a large pot of cold water, about 3 inches above the beans.

In the morning, drain your beans and cover them with fresh water about 2-3 inches above the beans. Add kosher salt as if you’re salting pasta water, with a few generous pinches of salt. Bring the beans to a simmer over medium high heat and skim off any foam at the top. Lower the heat to low, and the herbs, garlic, coriander seeds, olive oil and another few pinches of salt. If you want to char the lemon read below, if not add the lemon halves as well.

To char your lemon (optional but really good) put a heavy bottomed skillet over high heat, and when hot add the lemon halves, cut side down. When they have a nice golden brown char on them, take them off the heat and add them to the pot of beans.

Make sure the beans never go above a few bubbles rising to the top simmer, so a very low simmer. It may take an hour or so, but it’s so worth it. Taste the liquid and add more salt along the way. Continue to taste the beans and when they’re creamy and cooked through, they’re done! Add a splash of sherry vinegar and a few more sprigs of the fresh herbs you added. Save the liquid to eat with the beans or you can use it to braise other things or add it to sauces. :)!

For fried egg topping: (You can cook this plain or in the chile oil below) place a medium no stick skillet over medium high heat and add 3tbl of olive oil. When shimmering, carefully add two eggs one at a time, use a spatula to gently nudge the sides so they don’t stick. When the edges start to turn golden use a spoon to spoon the hot oil over any raw egg white you see. When the egg white is cooked through, remove them to a plate with a paper towel to absorb extra oil. Top with salt and pepper. Serve a top of beans and broth.

For Garlic and Shallot Chile Oil topping:

Heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmery. Add the shallots and garlic and swirl the pan frequently until they are just starting to brown. Add the red pepper flakes and continue to fry for a few more seconds. If using the oil to fry an egg, remove the shallots and garlic with a slotted spoon and place in a small bowl to the side. Fry one or two eggs at a time in the hot oil, using the oil to baste the raw egg whites. Use a spatula to carefully loosen and remove the eggs to top your bowl of beans, then top with fried shallots and garlic.

You can also tear some fresh herbs on top. Enjoy!