White Beans Bretonne
I discovered Elizabeth David’s white beans Bretonne style at the beginning of my cooking career, when I was the chef at Chez Panisse restaurant in its formative days. I used the Italian white kidney beans called cannellini and served them with lamb, as David describes and as they do in Brittany. Now, as then, it’s an all-satisfying combination and an all-satisfying way to have white beans.
Makes 3 cups, or 6 to 8 side dish servings.
2 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow or white onion, chopped
2 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled
seeded, and coarsely chopped
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups cooked Great Northern, cannellini, or flageolet beans
plus 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid
Juices from a lamb dish (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
1. Melt the butter in a heavy sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and wine. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has become saucy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the salt, and beans and their cooking liquid. Continue cooking until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lamb juices, if using, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.
Basic White Beans
White beans vary widely in size, cooking time, taste, and use, to the extent that it’s not possible to pinpoint one neat instruction or basic recipe. Below is a guide that tells the measurements and basic cooking times for the sorts often used, with the proviso that you may have to boil them a bit, uncovered, if they are not quite tender.
Great Northern (large white) beans: Cook for 25 minutes in 2-1/2 cups water and let sit for 5 minutes. Makes about 2-1/2 cups.
Navy (pea or small white) beans: Cook for 25 minutes in 2 cups water and let sit for 5 minutes. Makes 2 cups.
Lima (butter) beans, large or small: Cook for 15 minutes in 2 cups water and let sit for 10 minutes. Makes 2 cups for large limas, about 2-1/2 cups for baby limas.
Cannellini (Italian white kidney) beans: Cook for 25 minutes in 2 cups water and let sit for 10 minutes. Makes about 2 cups.
[Editor’s Note: If you prefer cooking the white beans in a saucepan on a stovetop, here’s how!]
Basic White Beans (Saucepan/Stovetop Method)
Makes 3 cups.
1 cup dried white beans
3 cups water
1. Presoak the beans overnight, or Quick Soak according the instructions above. Drain and rinse the soaked beans.
2. Place the beans and water in a covered saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 60- 80 minutes or until the beans reach the desired tenderness. Cooking time may vary based on the specific variety of white bean and their age.
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