One Frosty Winter Afternoon

We had a frosty weekend, which is different than a snowy weekend. But it turns out, no less beautiful. Everything was coated in glorious ice crystals. The trees looked white and every surface took on new dimensions with the frost. While I would happily take snow on any winter day, I have to say that the frost gave the perfect winter look without the snow. Some people seem to appreciate that!

There is just a little bit of me that wants to be insistent about my son getting out in the cold. It bothers me just a little that his daycare doesn’t send the kids out in chilly weather. Months of my childhood were spent out in the cold and snow, playing until my pants were soaked through from hours of sledding and my fingers were nub. I’ll admit I wasn’t always happy to be sent outdoors to play, but likely, it did me good! The more temperate weather here won’t make for months of snowy weather, but I want to make sure he gets out to enjoy the crisp chill of winter and the thrill of seeing things in a new way. As it turns out, he is a pretty happy adventurer.

And while I just can’t stay inside all day during the cold frosty weather, there is little that makes me happier than coming back in after a trek. A brisk walk leaves me tingly cold and warm, all at once. Stepping back inside hits me with a wave of cozy warmth and a waft of whatever it is that might be cooking. And what better time of year to settle into a little bit of slow cooking in the kitchen.

One of my favorite things to cook these days has been a pot of beans. Sounds glamourous, doesn’t it! Sometimes the whole process of cooking beans takes a little pre-planning. Don’t get me wrong, they take very little of my time, but there is that bit about thinking about cooking them a day or so in advance. The weekend seems like the best time to do that. So, it pretty common that Saturday afternoon will find me rummaging through my pantry, trying to decide what beans I will cook on Sunday.

I don’t really spend much effort figuring out what I am going to do with the beans. There is always a pot of soup simmering on the weekend, a perfect foil for a few cups of whatever beans I find. But for something a little more substantial, I found the perfect recipe a summer or two ago in Falling Cloudberries, a brilliant cookbook by Tessa Kiros. I was making a meal from various recipes in her book and stumbled upon this recipe for baked lima beans.

I must admit that I have not always looked at beans with much admiration. It might have been one too many pots of pinto beans from my younger years, cooked by the pound in a giant pressure cooker my mother used for industrial cooking projects. She excelled at making the most of any effort she put out in the kitchen. Giant pots of soups and beans filled the pressure cooker any time we were in need of something to plan on for dinner during the week ahead. Pressure cookers still are a bit frightening to me! And while nothing dramatic ever happened with the cooking, the hissing, steaming and sputtering of that pot signaled many a hearty meal to come.

Since then, I’ve learned a thing or two about beans. How they can be meltingly tender without falling apart in the pot. How a little seasoning can go a really long way with beans. And how easy it is to cook something that will serve up for a few warm and delicious meals. I’ve been lucky enough to discover the huge variety of unique and heirloom varieties of dried beans, including some from my local farmers market. I’m also pretty happy to have found these beans locally as well. And as the chill of the winter weather sets in, I’ve been baking up this recipe with a variety of beans and seasonings, all of them delicious.

I’ve diverged a little from the recipe, making it a little simpler and adapted to the ingrediants I have on hand. And the recipe seems pretty forgiving to a little adaptation. I switch out the beans depending on what I have on hand or want to try cooking. And I always play with the seasonings. Parsley, mint and thyme are all delicious, but so is a teaspoon or so of herbes de provence. I suspect you could also take this dish in a new direction with some black beans, jalapenos and cilantro. So many possibilities…
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Baked Lima Beans with Onions, Tomatoes and Parsley

Adapted from Falling Cloudberries, by Tessa Kiros

3 cups dried lima beans or other variety, soaked overnight

1/2 cup olive oil

1 large red onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, with leaves, chopped

1 1/2 14 oz. cans peeled and coursly chopped tomatoes

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or other herbs, use less of dried varieties

Set out the beans to soak overnight. Drain the beans and put them in the saucepan, covering generously with cold water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that rises and turn down to a medium heat. Cook until beans are very tender. Actual cooking time will vary depending on the beans used, so check them as you progress. Add salt to the beans toward the end of cooking time.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Drain the beans, reserving about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking water. Put the beans in a large baking dish or dutch oven. The deeper the dish, the saucier the beans.

Heat about 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Gently cook the onions and celery until they are softened, stirring so that they don’t stick. Remove from heat and mix in the tomatoes and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Add this mixture into the beans, stirring in the remaining olive oil and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to keep the beans quite moist. Cover with lid or foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the covering and stir the beans. If they are drying out, add a little more water. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes.

The beans should be deliciously tender at this point, golden on top and with a little sauce. Serve them warm, with a little drizzle of olive oil or sprinkle of herbs.