Este Beans

Easy, stewed beans. A hearty soup base or salad topper & it's freezer-friendly.

Soup, stew, chili, any name will do.

My father got me on the bean train years ago, and I haven’t looked back. We send each other photos and tips on our bean endeavors & I hope one day he adds his homemade hummus recipe to Obra’s collection. 

I suggest Rancho Gordo as a great bean purveyor - they offer many high-quality heirloom varieties, helpful recipe suggestions, and are very passionate about their niche.

The quantities & vegetables used for this recipe are suggestions, please adjust & substitute as you see fit.

Beans beans the magical fruit…

• Equipment

  • Soup Pot (the bigger the better)

  • Dutch oven (enameled or cast iron)

• Ingredients

  • 1-2+ lbs, dried beans

  • Olive oil

  • Salt

  • 3-5+ garlic cloves, crushed & minced

  • 3-5+ dried chilis, sliced or cut with shears (chipotle, ancho, guajillo, pasilla, piquín, etc)

  • 1-2 knobs of ginger, minced (optional)

  • 2-3+ tablespoons of available spices - I like to use paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper - mixed

  • 1-2 yellow onions, diced

  • 1-2 bell peppers, diced

  • 2-3 stalks, celery, diced

  • 2-3 carrots, diced

  • Cheese, optional (garnish)

  • Limes, halved (garnish) 

  • Optional: herb garnish (rosemary, thyme, oregano, etc.)

  Notes:

  If using dried beans, plan to soak them the night before cooking (6+ hours). There are quicker ways to prepare beans, e.g. pressure cooker, canned beans, but I enjoy the ritual of the dried-bean method. Feel free to alter with a quicker method.

  Dried-Bean Prep: The night before! 

  1. Before rinsing, sift dry beans in a colander to find and remove any debris. Rinse under running water for 30-60 seconds. Dump beans into a large soup pot, cover beans with 1-2 inches of water. Beans will soak up the water overnight. 

  2. In the morning (or after 6+ hours), add more water to the existing pot by 3-5 inches, or strain beans and add fresh water. Add several pinches of salt to water, stir, and taste - don’t be shy, it should be salty. Add a glug of olive oil.

  3. Bring to a boil over medium/high heat, stirring occasionally & do not cover (I’ve had more boil overs as I prepped the veggies than I care to admit).

  4. Prepare those veggies!

  5. After the beans begin to boil, reduce heat to medium & stir occasionally.

• Directions

  1. In a dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add garlic until softened. Add chilies until aromatic (quick), stirring constantly. 

  2. Add more olive oil, onions, salt, stirring constantly until onions just begin to soften. Add ginger (optional) & half of the spice blend.

  3. Add remaining veggies & spice blend, stirring until softened. 

  4. Transfer the softened veggies to the soup pot, stir & taste. Add more salt & spices to taste.

  5. Cook on medium until beans are nearly soft, generally 1-2 hours. Taste frequently :-) 

  Remove from heat. Garnish & serve over polenta, rice, farro, salad, or alone. After cooling, store in the refrigerator or freezer. 
  

Project Este

A project focused on daily rituals and the Obra process. Leveraging natural light, color and materials to complement the industrial roots of this contemporary loft.