There are some foods you’ll only ever try if you make them yourself. For instance, I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted a glaze made from red wine vinegar and sugar. Because of this recipe, I have. I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted the combination of fennel, figs, and beans. Again, because of this recipe, I have. There are many types of foods most of us have never tried and I’m glad I’m making good use of my time working hard at trying them.
The Recipe
I followed this recipe fairly accurately, except for a few small details. First, the recipe called for the cranberry bean. Currently, I have dozens of pounds of dried beans stored in various places in my home, so it wasn’t in my interest to seek out some more. Especially because the cranberry bean isn’t related to the cranberry fruit (hence no special flavor or significance). It’s merely got “cranberry” in its name because of its markings. I used pinto beans as a substitute, which have just as lovely markings. Second, the recipe called for red grapes. I priced them out and for the three pounds bag I had in my hand at the supermarket, I would have paid $7.50. To me, I could do better. Since I had a bag of dried figs already on hand at home, I decided to use them instead. This is a Mediterranean recipe, so I felt figs would work especially well, which they did. Finally, the recipe called for pine nuts. Since I had many walnuts on hand, I used them instead. They worked out great. So basically, I changed a lot of this recipe, but the essence was the same. As I said, it’s a Mediterranean dish and I kept it that way.
Overall, this is an excellent dish. It offers a lot of unique flavor and I think it’s perfect as a side. It’s tasty and has got some bulk to it. It’ll help fill you right up if you’re hungry.
I’d also like to thank America’s Test Kitchen for this (modified) recipe. I pulled it from their The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook and as always, it was stellar.
Ingredients
Serves: 6-8
2 1/2 Cups Dried Cranberry Beans (Substitute with Pinto Beans)
3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Fennel Bulb, Cored & Chopped
1 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1 Cup Seedless Red Grapes (Substitute with Chopped Dried Figs)
1/2 Cup Pine Nuts, Toasted (Substitute with Walnuts or Pecans)
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Cook the Beans
Add four quarts of water to a large pot and then add three tablespoons of salt along with the beans. Make sure the salt dissolves in the water and then let the beans soak overnight. Then, drain the pot of water and rinse the beans.
Fill the same pot up again with another four quarts of water. Add one teaspoon salt. Bring the water to a boil over high heat on your stovetop and then reduce the heat to medium-low so there’s just a simmer. Cook for an hour to an hour and a half, stirring every now and then. This should cook the beans and make them tender. When finished, turn off the heat and drain any excess water from the pot. Set the beans aside.
Make the Glaze
Warm a large skillet over medium heat on your stovetop. Add the olive oil, fennel, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and cook for about five minutes, or until the fennel has somewhat softened. Then, add one cup vinegar, the sugar, and the fennel seeds. Stir and continue to simmer until the liquid has thickened and reduced into a glaze. This should take 10-15 minutes.
Toast the Nuts
Warm a small skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts and cook for a few minutes until they begin to brown. You should easily begin to smell them as they’re toasting. When finished, remove from heat.
Combine Ingredients
After the glaze is complete, add the beans to the skillet and toss until they’re completely coated. Then, allow to cool for a few minutes. Once cooled, add the grapes or figs. Also add the remaining vinegar and nuts. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Plate & Serve
As I’ve mentioned before on this blog, I like to add this type of bean salad to my nightly garden salads. It can just as easily be eaten as a side. Any way you’d like to do it would be fine. Just plate it up and enjoy!
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