Backyard Gigante Beans And Butternut Squash Recipes

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a medium stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it's lightly browned and has rendered its fat, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until the onion is tender and translucent, about 6 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and add the squash cubes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the black-eyed peas, Garlic-Chipotle Love and corn. Simmer until the picadillo has thickened and the flavors come together, about 12 minutes.
• Stir in the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Divide among six bowls, and serve with rice and salsa.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pour the oil into a heavy ovenproof medium saucepan and add the garlic. Cover the pot with foil, put it in the oven, and cook until the garlic turns a nutty brown and is really soft (think cream cheese), about 45 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and let the garlic and oil cool to room temperature. Put the garlic and the now garlic-infused oil in a food processor or blender. Add the chipotles and sauce, cilantro, lime zest, and salt and puree until the mixture is very smooth. Store in the fridge in a tightly covered container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to a month.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat and place a rack on top.
• Halve the butternut squash lengthwise. Remove the seeds and discard. Using a melon baller, cut a channel into the neck of the squash, leaving a 3/4-inch border of flesh on the sides and bottom. Save the removed squash for another use or discard. Season the flesh with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a small skillet. Add the celery and onions and cook just until softened, about 3 minutes. Combine the celery and onions, cornbread, rosemary, thyme, sage, cranberries and pecans in a bowl and toss to combine well. Add the vegetable stock and mix just until moistened and combined. Season with salt and pepper.
• Line the bottom of each butternut squash half with a layer of green beans. Top with the cornbread filling. Lay the carrot down the middle of 1 of the squash halves. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the butter over the carrot (enough to generously coat) and dot the cornbread mixture evenly with the remaining butter. Sprinkle the carrot with the brown sugar. Slide the squash pieces next to each other and carefully close the butternut squash and lay on one side. Tie in the middle and at each end with butcher's twine.
• Crumple a piece of aluminum foil into a 24-inch-long "snake". Curl this around and place on the prepared rack. Nestle the squash inside it so the squash sits flat on the rack and doesn't roll.
• Drizzle the whole squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until a knife easily slides through all of the layers, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let it sit for 10 minutes. Slice crosswise and serve.

Steps:

• Soak the beans in water overnight.
• Soooooooooooo...if you didn't think yesterday to soak your beans you can do the "quick soak" method, which is to put your beans in a pot covered by at least 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat off and let the pot sit until the water cools down naturally and then pick up the process as if you had soaked the beans overnight.
• Strain the beans from the soaking water. Put the beans in a large pot and cover generously with water. Add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and bacon skin. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the beans until all the beans are soft, about 1 hour. Add more water if it reduces too much. Test the beans for doneness by doing the 5 bean test. Bite 5 beans, if they are all soft then they are done. Beans do NOT all cook at the same rate so the 5 bean test is important.
• When the beans are cooked, remove the pot from the heat. Season the water generously with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and serve. If not using the beans right away, store them in the refrigerator in their liquid.
• Beans, beans the musical fruit...

Steps:

• First simmer beans. Drain soaked beans and place in a large saucepan with 2 quarts water, halved onion, crushed garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Add salt to taste (I usually use 1 teaspoon salt per quart of water) and continue to simmer another 30 minutes. Beans should be almost tender. Remove from heat and use tongs to remove and discard onion half, garlic cloves and bay leaf.
• While beans are simmering you can make tomato base. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven, and add onion, carrot and celery. Add a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until vegetables are just about tender, about 5 minutes, and add parsley and leeks. Cook, stirring, until leeks are slightly wilted, about 3 minutes, and stir in garlic along with another generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, just until the garlic smells fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and stir in tomatoes with their juice and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and smell fragrant. Remove from heat until beans are ready.
• Add beans and their broth to tomato base, stir together, add bouquet garni and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add winter squash and continue to simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes, until squash and beans are very tender. Taste, adjust salt, and add freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Just before serving heat through and stir in a generous handful of chopped fresh parsley or basil, or a mix of the two. Serve, topping each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan.