- I like butter beans, but it gets boring eating them in tomato sauce. I’m always looking for recipes that will help me add this nutritious legume in a more interesting and delicious way in my diet. Butter beans are a very good source of protein for vegetarians (They contain 21 to 25% protein by weight, which is much higher than other plants), are rich in fibre, low in fat and glycaemic index, and rich in vitamin B, copper, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. Butter beans have about twice the iron content of black beans. I came across this incredible idea in an AB Vassilopoulos supplement, which also inspired the following recipe: butter beans with fennel and pomegranates, marinated in citrus. The earthly, gentle taste of the butter beans with the bittersweet hints of lime and mandarin, the intense fennel aromas and the sweetness of pomegranate are a surprise and delight for the palate. I also promise you that it will keep you filled for hours, and if consumed along with a salad, it’s a very original vegetarian dinner or lunch at home. The original recipe requires the beans to boil for 3 hours in a clay pot. However, if you don’t have a clay pot don’t worry, Sanitas has an awesome hybrid aluminium foil: A side of greaseproof paper, and another side of aluminium foil. Put it in a normal baking tray, and cover with this awesome product that will keep all fragrances and flavours in as the beans simmer in the citrus aromas. To save some time, I baked the beans first and left them in the oven for less time, but if you have time you can put them straight to the oven and let them simmer for 3 hours.
- Ingredients (for about 4 people)
- – 500g of butter beans, soaked in water and vinegar overnight
- – 1 large fennel head cut into slices
- – 2 carrots, cut into small frames
- – 1 celery, cut into small pieces
- – 1 leek, sliced into small slices
- – 1 small red spicy pepper cut into small pieces
- – Fresh aromas: thyme, mint, dill, brambles and myrrh, finely chopped
- – Juice from 1 orange and 1 lime
- – 1 wine glass of white wine
- – 300gr of water
- – Salt and pepper
- Preparation
- – Boil the soaked beans for about 40 minutes until they soften
- – Preheat the oven at 175 degrees
- – Cut all vegetables and aromatics and mix them with the beans in a large container
- – Add the orange and lime juice of, wine and water
- – Cover with the Sanitas double-sided aluminium foil
- – Bake for about 2 hours until the vegetables soften and dry. It’s good to stir them after about 1 hour and then put them back into the oven