“Better eat beans in peace than cakes and ale in fear.” – Aesop
The Greeks consider beans an inexpensive, nourishing meal that is most often served on its own with a crusty bread, tomato salad and cheese. It is considered a peasant food and replaces the more expensive meat dishes. Beans are rich in protein, fibre, B vitamins, folic acid and biotin. Beans retain about 70 percent of their B vitamins (after preparation) as well as high levels of folate, which helps form red blood cells. Minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphate, manganese, calcium, copper, zinc and potassium are also all found in beans. In addition, beans are rich in phyto-oestrogens, important in prevention of breast and prostate cancers.
GREEK WHITE BEAN STEW (FASOLÁDHA)
Ingredients
1 cup dried haricot beans
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery heart (stalks and leaves), chopped
1 can of whole tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Method
1) Place beans in a medium bowl and cover with water and let them soak for a few hours. Drain and rinse beans.
2) Meanwhile in a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium setting.
3) Add the onion, celery, carrots and salt and stir for about 5 minutes or until soft.
4) Add the tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and beans.
5) Simmer uncovered for about one and a half hours or until beans are tender.
6) Season with salt and pepper and you may add chopped parsley before serving.
This post is part of the Food Friday meme,
and also part of the Food Trip Friday meme.
The Greeks consider beans an inexpensive, nourishing meal that is most often served on its own with a crusty bread, tomato salad and cheese. It is considered a peasant food and replaces the more expensive meat dishes. Beans are rich in protein, fibre, B vitamins, folic acid and biotin. Beans retain about 70 percent of their B vitamins (after preparation) as well as high levels of folate, which helps form red blood cells. Minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphate, manganese, calcium, copper, zinc and potassium are also all found in beans. In addition, beans are rich in phyto-oestrogens, important in prevention of breast and prostate cancers.
GREEK WHITE BEAN STEW (FASOLÁDHA)
Ingredients
1 cup dried haricot beans
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 celery heart (stalks and leaves), chopped
1 can of whole tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp. tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Method
1) Place beans in a medium bowl and cover with water and let them soak for a few hours. Drain and rinse beans.
2) Meanwhile in a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium setting.
3) Add the onion, celery, carrots and salt and stir for about 5 minutes or until soft.
4) Add the tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and beans.
5) Simmer uncovered for about one and a half hours or until beans are tender.
6) Season with salt and pepper and you may add chopped parsley before serving.
This post is part of the Food Friday meme,
and also part of the Food Trip Friday meme.
Beans, potato and barley also stew nicely in a crockpot over night. Jews never had enough money for meat in Eastern Europe, so this dish (called cholent) was the family favourite every sabbath lunch. And still is, in winter. As long as the beans are well soaked before hand, they absorb all the mixed flavours superbly.
ReplyDeleteMany families add meaty bits into the crockpot eg left over chicken bones, after the chicken meat has been used for something else.
reminds me of our munggo beans dish...love it!
ReplyDeletethanks much for sharing and linking over at Food Friday!
enjoy the weekend :)