Stove Top Garlicky Beans
Course: SIDES6-8
servingsBeans beans are good for your heart…come on, sing it with me! Lol. Gas jokes aside, I truly love beans and believe they are good for your heart, body, and soul! I never get tired of the drama of soaking beans, then cooking them on the stove. There is something about babysitting a “cauldron” of beans that makes me feel like I am channeling my mediveal ancestors, whoever they were.
Beans have all the good stuff, like fiber and protein, and when cooked with love are rare delicacies. They aren’t hard to make, but require a little babysitting the first couple times you make them because you want to make sure they cook at a simmer, and every cooktop has its own quirks that you must understand in order to achieve this.
I use Great Northern Beans in this recipe which are light in color and have a lovely texture. If you cannot find them, you could use Cannelini beans, which are sometimes sold as White Kidney Beans. Truthfully, my bean cooking method works for all beans, so please do experiment!
Ingredients
1 lb. dried Great Northern Beans
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
2-3 tsp Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Extra Virgin olive oil
Directions
- Sort through beans, removing any debris, discolored, or shriveled beans. Rinse beans, put in large bowl, fill with enough water to cover beans by 4-5 inches, and soak overnight. Alternatively, use the quick soak method by boiling water in a kettle (or on stove), then pouring over beans in a pot or heat safe receptacle. Cover beans with 4-5 inches of water, then allow beans to soak for 1 hour.
- Drain beans, then place in a 4 quart pot. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 2 inches. Add garlic cloves and bay leaf. Bring water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Skim any foam that has risen to the top. Cover pot about halfway with lid to allow some water to evaporate. You want beans to have about 1 inch of liquid covering them at all times while cooking. When beans are softened, but not completely done (about 60-90 minutes into cooking- this depends on how long they soaked), add 2 tsp Kosher salt (use 1 tsp if using table salt). Cook beans for a total of 2-2 1/2 hours (for intact beans), or up to 3 hours (if you like your beans a bit more broken down). Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed, and stir in a glug of olive oil before serving.
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