Styrian Gigantes Scarlet Runner Bean Casserole Recipes

STYRIAN "GIGANTES" (SCARLET RUNNER BEAN CASSEROLE)

Steps:

• If using dried beans, soak them overnight and cook according to package instructions (usually for 90min.).
• Cut onion in about 0,5cm pieces, mince garlic, peel and seed tomatoes (put in boiling water for about 30sec.) and chop into bite size pieces.
• Heat olive oil and add onion and garlic. Let fry until translucent.
• Add beans and tomatoes. Stir.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer to baking dish and let bake for about 20-25 minute at 175°C (until the beans go lightly crispy).
• Enjoy with white bread, such as baguette, ciabatta or pita. The oil onion mixture tastes heavenly when dipped into.

GIGANTES (GREEK GIANT BAKED BEANS)

Steps:

• Cook the pre-soaked beans in a pressure cooker, with enough water to cover by one inch, for 20 minutes and allow to sit, undisturbed, for 2-3 hours before proceeding with recipe.
• Tip the beans into a large baking pan.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the dill, and stir well to distribute.
• Pour over enough hot water to cover beans by 1".
• Place pan in oven and set oven to 400°F.
• Bake for 2 hours. Check, if you like your beans more tender, cook them a half hour longer.
• Stir dill in for last 15 minutes of baking.
• There will still be plenty of juices in the pan, but these will be absorbed by the beans and thicken as the beans cool.
• Like nearly all bean recipes, these only improve the next day, and the day after next.
• In Greece, these beans would constitute the main, 'vegetarian' meal and would not include the bacon, which is my own addition. We often eat meatless, especially when we're fasting. With or without the bacon or sausage, this is good eating, especially with a big chunk of sharp feta cheese on the side to nibble on between bites of beans and slurps of sauce and some good, honest, crusty bread to clean your plate up with. :-).