White Beans A La Provencal

[Rocklobster]

Here is a bean dish that can go with just about any grilled or roasted meat. Really easy, inexpensive, quick and holds well in the pot while you are preparing the other stuff. Recipe can be modified to suit your tastes and availability of ingredients.

1 can of white kidney beans(drained and rinsed)
a few cloves of garlic, minced
half an onion, small diced
1 large meaty tomato, or a couple romas, diced
Chicken or vegetable stock. At least one cup.
herbs du provence, and some other fresh stuff like, thyme or basil and parsley
Salt and pepper to taste.
Olive Oil, a few tablespoons

Get your oil hot and add garlic and onions and sautee until tender. Add tomatoes and stir occasionally for another couple of minutes. Add drained and rinsed beans, enough stock to just cover the beans, herbs du provence, black pepper. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes until stock starts to thicken into a sauce. Add more stock if it seems to be drying out. Then, you can add your fresh herbs if you have any. You can taste it for salt at this point and add some if you please. Leave it on a low setting with the lid on for another 5 or 10 minutes, making sure beans aren't breaking up and getting too mushy. They are ready to go. You can turn them off and let them sit until you are ready to serve. Makes about 4 small side servings.

It also makes a great dish if you add some sausage meat, bacon, or pancetta at the beginning and cook through before adding the garlic and onions.

 

[Aunt Bea]

This is good stuff!

It makes a nice first course with some crunchy garlic toast!

I also make it into a quick meal for two with the addition of escarole or kale, sometimes a small amount of sausage, for a quick version of beans and greens.

The addition of a can of chicken stock transforms it into a quick soup.

 

[menumaker]

We adore beans prepared this way although I leave out the tomato. This, as you say is great with many meats. Our favorite is to serve with roast lamb or braised slowly with mutton. We are lucky to have a good supply of mutton here. Rather underrated unfortunately as I think the flavor is wonderfully intense.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

C&P, Thanks Roch!

 

[Cooking Goddess]

I'll be trying this sometime soon. I've been trying to add more beans and stuff to the menu to compensate for the prices of meats going up, plus they're better for you than white pastas and potatoes. Gotta watch what we eat more closely as we get older.

 

[Kayelle]

I love the sound of this Rock! I'd imagine the "herbs du provence" is essential, hence the name of the dish. What a beautiful part of the world! Do you use the kind with or without the lavender?

 

[pacanis]

I love the sound of this Rock! I'd imagine the "herbs du provence" is essential, hence the name of the dish. What a beautiful part of the world! Do you use the kind with or without the lavender?

You could substitute cumin and oregano for the herbs de provence... and green chiles for the tomatoes, but then it would be white chili

This sounds good. I like herbs de provence.

 

[CWS4322]

Thanks, Roch! Love ideas of what else to do with beans. I know I can do this with my frozen white beans. And folks, if you don't have stock on hand, water will work, although I'm sure it would be better with the stock. Everything Roch makes is always something to make again and again.

I blend my own herbs-de-provence. Here's one of the blends I make (I often don't have savoury on hand...I grow it, but sometimes I just can't find the jar):

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/herbs-de-provence-recipe.html

Another blend I make has lavender in it--can't find the link right now for that. Don't shy away from trying Roch's recipe if you don't have the herbs-de-provence in your cupboard--you can fake it.

 

[Rocklobster]

I'd imagine the "herbs du provence" is essential, hence the name of the dish. What a beautiful part of the world! Do you use the kind with or without the lavender?

I wouldn't think herb du provece would be essential. I usually have it on hand, it goes well with the other ingredients and adds a bit of authenticity, but really, you could use any herbs you like. Basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, etc. Fresh or dried will work. I added fresh basil this time round. The stuff I have now is just from a bulk spice store. Not too fragrant. I should search out some new stuff....overall, this bean recipe has a nice, mild flavor that works well as a side dish because it doesn't overpower the other foods on the plate. The secret is to keep it simple, IMHO. Healthy, too.