I burned the beans

I burned the beans. I'm sure you gathered that much from the title. I sat the beans to boil in plenty of water when I got home, and proceeded to carry on with the medley of things that cluttered my brain. Much later, while relaxing on the sofa with my flat mate and a bowl of delicious pasta she had made, we noticed a strange smell. Popcorn, my wise mate ominously suggested. I dismissed it. Twice. then I jumped up snake bitten and ran to the kitchen to find my lovely beans had indeed cooked themselves silly.
The damage was not as bad as I feared. Only the bottom layer was scorched black, and the majority of the beanies were still white, but smoked. I overcame the urge to throw them out in anger, seeing as they were an annoying reminder to my negligence and hopeless irresponsibility, instead moving them to a new pot with a little water and leaving them till tomorrow.

Tomorrow came. I once more overcame the impulse of tossing them. I decided to try and make something out of them, despite their lack of perfection. And also a soup, Broccoli soup with no Dairy. It worked. There must be lessons to be learned here, of accepting imperfection and overcoming childish foot-stomping tantrums. I shall do my best.

                                               Bean Salad with Tomato and Red Onion

2 cups of small white beans, preferably organic, soaked (at least) overnight

1 large, ripe Tomato, cut into tiny cubs

1 small red onion, chopped very fine

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme

tiny sprig of rosemary, chopped

2 tbsps olive oil

juice from 1/2 a lemon

salt

pepper

chili flakes

If you are soaking your beans for more than a night be sure to change the water every 12 hours or so. When ready to cook, rinse beans and place in a pan with plenty of water. No Salt! salt at this point keeps legumes from cooking well. bring to boil and cook till beans are tender. If there is still much water in the pot, drain most of it.  While beans are still hot add tomato, onion, lemon juice, olive oil, salt-pepper-chili. let cool, then add fresh herbs. Check seasoning and serve, or you can let this sit in the fridge- the beans will absorb the flavor. in fact, you could let the beans sit overnight without the fresh herbs and then add them the next day, to get the best of both worlds.

                                      

                                      

 

Broccoli Soup with Lemon and Mint

1 large broccoli, divided into florets, peel removed from stems

1 large leek, rinsed well and diced

4 cloves of garlic, halved

3 celery stalk, chopped

2 zucchinis, roughly chopped

small bunch of parsley

salt

pepper

olive oil

lemon juice

ribbon of lemon rind

a few tbsps mint leaves, cut into thin strips

warm about 5 tbsp olive oil in a large pot. Saute leek and garlic for about 2 mins, stirring occasionally. add celery, and zucchini, saute for about 2 more mins. add broccoli, cover with lid and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, till broccoli turns a deep emerald green. add parsley, lemon rind, salt and pepper, cover with on liter of water ( or enough water to cover vegetables), cover with lid and bring to boil, cook only till broccoli is just cooked, and still green, and remover from heat. Blend soup with a hand blender. add lemon juice and mint, check seasoning and serve.
This would probably be good with a spoonful of yogurt of yogurt and some fresh mint and parsley as a garnish. I had it plain, and it was lovely. Enough lemon is important, it gives the soup an interesting twist.

 Happy 2012!