RECIPE THURSDAY - MORE BEANS PLEASE!

I tried something totally new this year in my garden.  I grew beans meant for drying.  It was something that I have thought about doing for a long time, so I asked some friends who garden for a recommendation for a variety to do this with.

I discovered that not many people actually grow their own dry beans.  Why would they when they are so cheap to buy in the stores?

But one friend not only answered my plea, but gave me some of her seed beans to plant in my garden - so I did.

I planted two rows of a bush variety.  They were the first beans of any variety I planted that popped up through the ground, and they were plentiful.  It was hard not to pick the pods and eat them ( I could have) but I really wanted what was inside the pod, so I let the plants die down, and the pods dry on the plants.

Last week I decided they had to be dry enough as they were rattling in the pods, so I pulled the plants out and took the pods into the house to harvest my dry beans.

Aren't they gorgeous?  I can't wait to try them and see how they taste.  I will use them in soups and stews and they will be gone in no time.  I am going to pick through them and pull out some of the larger ones to hold back as seed for next years planting, because I am sure I am going to want to grow these beauties again.

And why did I grow them, when they are so cheap to buy in the stores?

Well for starters, when I look at these beans and the ones in the store - I know mine are fresh.  How do you know how many years those dry beans have sat in a bag on a shelf?  How do you know where they were grown, what they were sprayed with?  I know all the answers to the ones in my jar... and they were just plain fun to grow as well.

When I was looking for last week's recipe, I found a recipe that I am going to try when the weather turns a bit frosty in fall.  It will be a perfect tasty dinner on a cool fall evening.  Here it is...

CASSOULET

2 and 1/2 cups (1 pound) dried beans

2 quarts of water

3 medium onions - divided

2 whole cloves

3 medium cloves - divided

2 stalks celery with leaves

1 bay leaf, halved

1 teaspoon Thyme

salt

1/2 pound hot or regular pork sausage meat

2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey

1 can ( 15 oz) tomato sauce

Minced parsley

Rinse and pick over beans( I don't have to do this - mine are clean); put in water in Dutch oven and soak overnight, or boil 2 minutes; cover; let stand 1 hour.

Bring to boil and skim off solids that rise.  Add 1 onion studded with the cloves, 1 clove of garlic mashed with a knife blade, the celery, bay leaf, thyme and 2 teaspoons of salt.  Cover and simmer 1 hour or until beans are almost tender.

Drain beans, reserving broth and discarding vegetables and bay leaf.

Put beans in a 3 quart casserole. set aside.

Shape sausage meat in 3/4 inch balls and brown in skillet over medium heat.  Remove sausage (reserve drippings) and drain on paper towels then add to beans with chicken or turkey: stir to mix.

Slice remaining 2 onions and mince remaining 2 cloves of garlic.  Brown in pan drippings until golden and tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in tomato sauce and 1 cup of reserved bean broth, bring to boil and simmer about 6 minutes or until slightly thickened.  Season with salt to taste.

Pour over bean-meat mixture, cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven until beans are tender and flavours well blended - about 1 hour.

If too dry stir in some more bean broth.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 6 servings

Enjoy!