Friday, January 14, 2011

Fassolada

Some white beans are sitting in my freezer because I followed my own advice and put some away for a day when I don't have time for soaking and cooking beans before a meal. Now they are staring at me and waiting to be used.

The beans would be delicious on their own (they were boiled Jamie Oliver-style with a potato, a tomato, lots of garlic, olive oil and some rosemary). But I decide that I want something a little more warming, hearty and delicious this evening so I decide to throw together this Greek-style bean and tomato stew.

Served with crusty bread, my kids are sure to dip away to their hearts content and nibble on a few bites of beans and veggies. Hopefully one day they will appreciate this amazing food but for now I am happy to believe that I am expanding their palate one bite at a time.


Fassolada
This is so easy and so quick. Prechopped veggies can be in your fridge the night before to really speed things up. Garnish this stew with chopped parsley or fresh dill. Be sure to serve with crusty bread and some red wine- Opa!

¼ cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 cups of diced tomatoes, canned or preserved
2 cups vegetable broth (I sometimes use an organic bouillon cube dissolved in water)
3 cups cooked white beans (any white bean works well- navy beans are easy to find canned)
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried dillweed, or 2 tbsp fresh dillweed
1 large bay leaf
salt and pepper
to garnish: chopped parsley

1. Saute garlic, celery and carrots in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir occassionally.
2. Add tomatoes, broth, beans, tomato paste, dill and bay leaf to the sauteed vegetables. Bring to a boil and then simmer for approximately 30 minutes.
3. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Updated: September 2016, with 3 cups cooked beans