WHAT WILL I DO NOW?

Sometimes you can find treasure in the most surprising of places. While in Lidl last week I spotted a tray of the most beautiful fresh beans in their red and cream patterned pods. With the vague title "red beans" on the label I had no idea what they were and even less of and idea what I was going to do with them when I got them home. Once there, however I did a little Google detective work and quickly discovered that they were borlotti beans and were a common ingredient in Italian cooking (I guess the "Product of Italy" on the label should have given that away), but notoriously difficult to find fresh over here. My treasure had just gotten a little more sparkly.

My little one commandeered a few beans and they are currently sitting on a sunny windowsill between the side of a jar and a dampened paper napkin (pink, naturally) being encouraged to sprout. I didn't want to squander the remaining contents of my pirates chest, so I had naive visions of a lightly dressed, burgundy-speckled bean salad, but of course after being immersed in boiling water for 30 minutes+, the beautiful colour had, sadly, been reduced to a muddy brown. So where else would I look for inspiration but in my Silver Spoon. Pulses can often be seen as a "filler" to add substance to soups, stews, salads etc, but even used like this you can see their versatility. Having gone to the trouble of stumbling across these, however, I didn't want them to take a backseat and was happy to discover that they were plump and full of flavour in their own right. A little bubbling in garlic and sage infused water gave depth to their earthy, almost meaty flavour and a quick light tomato sauce brought them back some crimson glory. I had 350g of beans (including pods) so I adjusted the recipe below accordingly and ate them simply piled on a doorstop of toasted white bread. I can see it on the chalkboard now:

" Hand-podded borlotti beans infused with garlic and sage, dressed in a tomato and basil reduction and served on toasted home-made sour dough bread."

" So that would be beans on toast then? "

" Um, yes madam it would."

FAGIOLI ALLA PIZZAIOLA

• 1 kg (weight in pods) fresh borlotti beans, shelled
• 2 celery stalks
• 3 fresh sage leaves
• 1 garlic clove
• 25g butter
• 4 tbls tomato passata
• 4 fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprig, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• Thick slices of your favourite crusty bread, toasted

1. Put the beans in a saucepan, pour in enough water to cover by at least 2 inches and add one of the celery stalks, the sage and the garlic. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for one hour or until tender. Start checking after 40 minutes, you don't want them to turn into mush. Drain, remove and discard the sage and garlic, place the beans in a serving dish and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, thinly slice the remaining celery. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the passata, celery and basil and cook until slightly reduced, about 5-7 minutes. Pour the sauce over the beans, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Serves 4 as posh beans-on-toast.

P.S. Just after writing this I found a recipe for a borlotti bean soup from the archives of my fellow Daring Baker, the wonderfully talented Ilva @ Lucullian Delights.

Click here for some aliases and more accessible substitutes.

Comments

[Lorraine@italianfoodies]

Well I'll be damned! I just made cannelini bean soup today and was just saying how you can't get any fresh Italian beans in Ireland while looking through the silver spoon!!I had my rant all ready!!!I'm off now to make some gooseberry muffins or a no bake cheesecake maybe?????
Looks delicious by the way, just a tad jealous because I had to use canned beans:)

[Laura]

It was just a fluke that I found them and I haven't seen them since so it will be back to the tins for me now too!

[Siobhan]

I saw those 'Red Beans' in Lidl in Shannon yesterday and gave them approximately 3 seconds of contemplation as to what they were... Now I wish I had been as inquisitive as you! Good find!

[ilva]

Thanks Laura! But I think your choice of cookbook is excellent!

[Kelly-Jane]

What a find, and they are so beautiful too. Look great cooked too :)

I've bought my ingredients for my sorbet, I'll just have to fit it in now - this week has been beyond mad!

KJxx

[Abulafia]

Classic dish...Pasta Fagioli, a borlotti bean, and small past pieces soup, with sage, parmesan, and olive oil. (Often made with cannelini beans as well)

Perfect dish for this wintry weather we are having. And I have never had it with fresh beans.

Lidl eh?

Fantastic recipe - as always. And great photographs.

[Maz]

Congrats on your mention in Food and Wine magazine...you deserve it!!!

[Katie B.]

Hi Laura! You've been tagged! Check out my blog to find out more! :)

[Lydia]

Lovely beans! I think I'd be tempted to keep them raw as little works of art.

[VegeYum]

Yum. Love the crimson of these beans. I have linked to this post - hope you don't mind.