No sailor worth his salt sets to sea without some dried beans in the galley stores. But I’ve noticed U.S. sailors tend to buy canned beans more often than not, and I wonder why. Dried beans are cheaper, take up less galley storage space, and if stored in air-tight jars will keep “fresh” for months. Meanwhile, the canned beans are rattling and rusting away in the bilge, or taking up a bunch of cabinet space, require a can opener to use them, and are expensive to purchase.
More valuable than a Rolex.
I think some sailors are under the impression that dried beans have to be soaked a day ahead of their use, and that they take a long time to cook, and what sailor wants to fool with that? The good news is that beans don’t have to be soaked overnight, and they can be ready to eat in little more than 15-20 minutes if cooked in a pressure cooker. Or if the beans are to be used as an ingredient in a cooked dish, they can be prepared by simply boiling them in water or broth for 5 minutes or so, covered and allowed to sit for a hour. Now they can be used as called for in the recipe.
But maybe it’s the issue of taste that keeps dried beans so low on the sailor’s shopping list. If beans are not prepared right they can be tough and tasteless. Maybe the answer lies in learning a little bit more about how to turn these hearty and nutritious legumes into palate pleasers. Did you know that pound for pound beans have more energy and nutritional value than just about any other food? And they’re loaded with complex carbohydrates including sugar.
When those cold, nasty ‘northers begin to blow this winter and you’re beating across the Stream in steep seas, a bowl of hot bean soup will be worth more to you than a new Rolex watch. There are few rules to preparing bean dishes, but they must be followed religiously to be successful: (1) never add salt to a bean dish until the cooking is almost done, or the beans will turn out tough; (2) if you boil beans their skins may burst, so it’s better to simmer them over low heat; (3) always keep the beans covered in water while cooking them, and improve the flavor by cooking them in a broth or bouillon water, or with a chunk of salt pork; (4) after cooking, allow the beans to sit for an hour to cool before serving. Finally, there are many different kinds of beans, and it’s important to match up the right kind of bean to the dish you’re preparing. I explain all of that in my cookbook, Gourmet Underway – A Sailor’s Cookbook. In the meantime, try this guaranteed winner the next time you’re bound for Bimini trying to outrun a ‘norther:
White Bean & Escarole Soup
3 cups cooked, drained beans
3 quarts beef broth
1 cup onion, diced
5 slices smoked bacon
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 large head of escarole
Use the quick-soak method to prepare the beans. Cut bacon into 1-inch pieces. Combine all ingredients except the escarole, salt and pepper, in a large skillet and bring to a quick boil then reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cut escarole coarsely and stir into soup to simmer for about 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning, then serve. Makes about 16 cups.
Note: If you’ve just read this article and have only canned beans on board at the moment, drain their canning liquid in a colander, then rinse them with cold water and drain again. Add the beans to the pot along with the other ingredients except the escarole and seasonings. Reduce the initial cooking time from 35 minutes to about 15-20 minutes, and definitely don’t bring to a boil or the beans will just go mushy. You’ll still have a great meal!
Copyright 2008 Robbie Johnson
{ 0 comments }
