Gigante Beans
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 218
- Total Fat
- 2
- Saturated Fat
- 1
- Carbohydrates
- 37
- Dietary Fiber
- 9
- Sugar
- 2
- Protein
- 14
- Cholesterol
- 2
- Sodium
- 226
- Total: 13 hr 10 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Inactive: 12 hr
- Cook: 1 hr
Ingredients
1 pound gigante or corona beans
1 large onions, skin removed, root end left on, cut in 1/2
1 large or 2 small carrots, peeled and halved
2 ribs celery, broken in 1/2
3 cloves garlic
1 bundle thyme
3 bay leaves
1 piece slab bacon skin or prosciutto skin, or a couple slices bacon
Kosher salt
Directions
- Soak the beans in water overnight.
- Soooooooooooo...if you didn't think yesterday to soak your beans you can do the "quick soak" method, which is to put your beans in a pot covered by at least 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat off and let the pot sit until the water cools down naturally and then pick up the process as if you had soaked the beans overnight.
- Strain the beans from the soaking water. Put the beans in a large pot and cover generously with water. Add the onions, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves and bacon skin. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the beans until all the beans are soft, about 1 hour. Add more water if it reduces too much. Test the beans for doneness by doing the 5 bean test. Bite 5 beans, if they are all soft then they are done. Beans do NOT all cook at the same rate so the 5 bean test is important.
- When the beans are cooked, remove the pot from the heat. Season the water generously with salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl and serve. If not using the beans right away, store them in the refrigerator in their liquid.
- Beans, beans the musical fruit...
Cook’s Note
*Due to the soaking time, this is definitely a plan ahead recipe.