Bumbeans Recipes

HOW TO COOK BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• First, pick through your black beans for debris (sometimes tiny rocks can sneak in). Place the beans in a fine mesh colander or sieve and rinse very well. Pour the beans into a large Dutch oven or saucepan (4 quarts or larger in capacity).
• Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, salt, cumin, orange zest and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pot. Pour in the water.
• Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Give the beans a stir to make sure none are stuck to the bottom of the pot, and set a timer for 1 hour. Leave the pot uncovered and adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer (you should see several small bubbles popping to the surface at any given moment).
• Once the timer goes off, test a couple of beans by using a fork to press them against the side of the pot. If they're easy to press through, taste a few (carefully! they're hot!) to see if they're sufficiently plump, tender and delicious.
• Otherwise, continue cooking, testing in 15 to 30 minute intervals as needed, until they're done. If you're running low on liquid, add water in 1-cup increments so the beans are covered at all time. (As mentioned in the post, if your beans are old, they can take several hours to cook and require a lot more water, and some very old beans may never cook through.)
• Once the beans are very tender and tasty, you can increase the heat a little to reduce the cooking liquid into a more gravy-like consistency, about 5 to 15 minutes (it will continue to thicken up as the beans cool).
• Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully remove the orange zest and both bay leaves. Use a fork to press the garlic against the side of the bowl to break it up. Add the cilantro, if using, and lime juice. Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed. Use as desired.
• Allow leftover beans to cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover beans for several months.***

GROUND BEEF BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients; heat through. Transfer to 2 greased 2-qt. baking dishes. Cover and freeze 1 dish for up to 3 months., Cover and bake the second dish at 400° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until bubbly, 10-15 minutes longer., To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator. Cover and bake at 400° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until bubbly, 15-20 minutes longer.

BUTTER BEAN HUMMUS

Steps:

• Process the beans in a food processor until they form a paste. Add the Roasted Garlic and pulse 2 to 3 times to incorporate. Add the tahini, cumin, coriander, paprika and cayenne and blend until a smooth texture starts to develop, 1 to 2 minutes. With the motor running, pour in the olive oil and blend until smooth. The mixture will be thick at this point. Pour in the lemon juice and, if needed, drizzle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 1/2 cup), until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour. Serve with pita bread, pita chips or fresh vegetables.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the top off of the garlic head, exposing the cloves but leaving the head intact. Set the head on a large piece of foil, drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap up the foil to make a pouch and bake until the garlic is soft and roasted, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside to cool. Yield: 1 head garlic

BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• For the beans: Place the beans in a bowl or pot, cover with cold water and allow to soak overnight. Drain and rinse before proceeding. (Alternatively, add the beans to a medium pot and cover with hot water. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow the beans to sit for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them with cold water before proceeding.)
• In a medium pot, add the soaked beans, chicken broth, 2 cups water, the garlic, onions and green, red and yellow bell peppers. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Then add the chile powder, cumin and salt and stir. Cover and continue simmering until the liquid level is to your liking, about another hour. Taste for seasoning and add more of what it needs.
• For the fixins: Serve in a bowl with sour cream, cilantro, lime wedges and diced bell peppers on the side.

BELGIAN BUNS

Steps:

• Mix the flour, yeast, caster sugar and 1 tsp sea salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the warm milk, beaten egg and melted butter. Mix well a soft dough forms. If it feels dry, add a bit of warm water, if it feels too sticky and wet, add 1 tbsp flour.
• Dust a work surface with flour and tip the mixture onto it. Knead the dough until it feels smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball and put in a large, lightly floured bowl. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size. Or, leave to prove in the fridge overnight, removing 45 mins before continuing.
• Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Lightly dust a work surface and roll out the dough to 30 x 45cm. Evenly spread the lemon curd over the dough and sprinkle with the sultanas. Roll the dough up lengthways from the shortest side, like a Swiss roll, to form a log. Cut into 12 equal sized buns with a sharp knife, egg-washing the loose end of the pastry and pressing it down, so it doesn't unravel. Arrange, spread apart, on the prepared baking tray, cover, and leave to prove for 45 mins until doubled in size.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush the buns with a little egg wash. Bake for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cook for a further 10 mins. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, sieve the icing sugar and mix with 3 tbsp water until a thick, white icing forms. Spread the icing on top of the buns with the back of a spoon, then put a cherry in the middle of each one.

SLOW-COOKER PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Sort beans and rinse in cold water. Add beans to a greased 3-qt. slow cooker. Add the next 10 ingredients; stir., Cook, covered, on high 2 hours. Reduce heat to low; cook until beans are tender, 6-7 hours. Serve with slotted spoon. If desired, top with fresh thyme sprigs. , Freeze option: Freeze cooled beans in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary.