Thursday 27 November 2008

Storecupboard eats - sagey beans

I'm still making my way through my overstocked storecupboard (I haven't got to the kamut yet, but I'm contemplating it), and supper tonight featured the latest target: cannellini beans. The dish was inspired by a pack of fresh sage on sale in the supermarket and it's one of the simplest and healthiest dishes I've ever made. I used dried beans which meant some planning and soaking but I've made it before with tinned ones and then it really is tin to plate in five minutes. It's yet another recipe from Moosewood (please, someone, buy it on the strength of all the recipes I keep posting or I'm going to feel really bad. If I ever make it to New York State I will go and spend a lot of money in their restaurant, I promise). It's called Tuscan Beans with Sage, and it's just a matter of combining sage with garlic and a little oil in a pan, adding some tinned tomatoes, lemon juice and the beans, and warming through.


We're both out tomorrow night - The Scientist on another gaming jaunt (it sounds as though he's practically moved in with his gaming buddies from this blog but in fact it's just two weekends in quite close succession - the tales of baked goods just expand to fill a lot more posts), and I'm going to spend the evening with the Ecos (hello :) ) So we moved our Friday night flump-out dinner to Thursday and had sausage and chips - and the healthiest bean dish you could imagine, plus broccoli. Guess who picked what? There was so little fat on my menu that I added some chips just to make sure I didn't fade away as I ate. Chips, sagey beans and broccoli went together surprisingly well, though I felt that the beans needed a bit more zip to them. I had so much faith in the fresh sage that I probably didn't add enough pepper. The recipe notes say that you should definitely use fresh and not dried, and the dish gets its name from the sage that grows wild in Tuscany. I love the image!

To go with the beans I tried a new way of cooking broccoli (also from Moosewood - I'm so unoriginal). This one was also a cinch but it was a really good balance of flavours. Just bring some water to the boil with some minced garlic and soy sauce, marvel briefly over how funny the word 'minced' is, and then add the broccoli until it's tender. I left the lid on to help it steam as well, and it was really nice. We've had so much broccoli in our veg box that I'm pleased to find some new ways to cook it.

Since this plate of tastiness is all vegan, I'm sending it over to Tasty Palette's Vegan Ventures#2 marking National Vegan Month.

Tuscan Beans with Sage (from Moosewood Low Fat Favourites)
Serves 4 to 6

1-2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
6 garlic cloves, minced (hee hee) or pressed
1 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups cooked cannellini beans (two tins, or 1 1/3 cups dried)
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the sage, garlic, and oil in a saucepan and saute on medium-low heat for several minutes, until the garlic is golden. Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, and cannellini and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, until everything is hot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or chill to serve later.

4 comments:

Johanna GGG said...

looks v healthy and delicious - do you have veg sausages with it or are you just referring to the Scientist's meat ones?

I agree with you about the word minced - can understand it with mincemeat but when it comes to garlic it makes me think of how you might describe Graham Norton's entrance into the room :-)

Lysy said...

That's exactly what I think of when I hear the word 'mince'! It's so evocative!

I think that veggie sausages would go very nicely with the beans but this time I just had the broccoli and chips. In the past I've eaten it with potato foccaccia and that was very nice too. The Scientist loves savaloy sausages (I don't really even know what they are but they seem to be boiled) so that was his accompaniment. He did forgo his usual mushy peas for the beans and broccoli though, so I think my vegan fare healthied up his dinner a bit!

Ilana said...

so you put the garlic in the pan of boiling water?

we forgot to give you lots of things yesterday, will try and remember next time! great to see you xx

ps wed craft night?

Lysy said...

Yep - the garlic goes straight in the pan minced up (hee hee, etc). I used 2 small cloves with 2 tsp soy sauce and about half a cup of water for about half a head of broccoli and the chopped-up stalks.

Will be in touch about craft night :)