Name: Velvety beans with aged cheese
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup mixed dried beans (we used a four bean salad mix from the supermarket), soaked overnight; 2 bay leaves; 1 onion, finely diced; 2 clove garlic, peeled and chopped roughly; small handful of flat-leaf parsley, stalks and all; 2 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes or 400g tinned cherry tomatoes; 5 centimetre piece of orange peel; 1/4 cup white wine; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 cup water as needed; 50 gram aged cheddar, grated; crusty bread, to serve

Velvety beans with aged cheese

This recipe transforms beans from boring to beautiful and makes one of the best meat-free, comfort food dishes.

Ingredients

1 cup mixed dried beans (we used a four bean salad mix from the supermarket), soaked overnight

2 bay leaves

1 onion, finely diced

2 clove garlic, peeled and chopped roughly

small handful of flat-leaf parsley, stalks and all

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup fresh cherry tomatoes or 400g tinned cherry tomatoes

5 centimetre piece of orange peel

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup water as needed

50 gram aged cheddar, grated

crusty bread, to serve

Method

1.Drain the beans after their overnight soak and put them in a medium-sized saucepan with the bay leaves.

2.Cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. The beans should have begun to soften by this time. If needed, top up the water during cooking so that the beans stay covered.

3.Add the onions, garlic, parsley, olive oil and the tomatoes to the saucepan. Continue cooking at a simmer until the beans are soft – a further 45 minutes to 1 hour.

4.Add the orange peel, white wine and salt and pepper, then cook for a final hour, adding water as you go to stop them sticking. The beans are ready when they are velvety and smooth to the bite and there is not much liquid left in the saucepan.

5.Spoon the mixture into bowls, and serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese and crusty bread.

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Ingredients

Method

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