Chef Martin Anderson
Beans, love them or hate them are a wonderful addition to any salad , soup , main course or just on their own.
I’m not just talking about the simple baked bean in tomato sauce that you buy in tins or fancy fridge packs but the different varieties of beans available for you to soak & cook at home.
The beans in “baked” beans are navy beans, common beans, Phaseolus vulgaris, the same species that gives us kidney, cannellini, french, black, pinto, haricot, flageolet, borlotti and marrow.
All of these can be purchased dried , soaked in cold water and cooked for your own recipes.
There is even a town in Massachusetts, USA known as “Beantown” in the early 90s it was declared the state vegetable and in the UK alone there are over 1 million tins of baked beans consumed everyday !! Seriously that’s a lot of beans.
Beans are a fantastic source of:
Protein – There are approximately 7 to 10 grams of protein in a half cup of cooked beans. An ounce of beef has 7 grams.
Fibre – this is the perfect addition to our diet. About half a cup of cooked dry beans has about 25 to 30 percent of the daily value of fiber which is also excellent in helping hypocholesterolemia (too much cholesterol in the cells). It is a soluble fiber that reduces blood cholesterol, plus beans release glucose slowly, giving you energy .
Carbs – seem to be the enemy of so many diets these days. Like it or not, we need them for energy and brain function, so you may as well get them from a reliable source. Beans hold about 25 grams of carbohydrates per serving .
Beans are packed with B vitamins. B complex is made up of eight vitamins: thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), cyanocobalamin (B12), folic acid and biotin. This incredible little community is essential in contributing to everything from liver, skin, hair and eyes, to intestinal wall muscle health and the breakdown of carbs, fats and proteins. Beans retain about 70 percent of their B vitamins (after preparation) as well as high levels of folate, which helps form red blood cells.
As beans are a cheap food they always had the reputation of being a poor mans supper but because of their nutritional value and versatility they have made their way to the best dining room tables , easy to prepare and with a great recipe they are so tasty .
Vegans & vegetarians use beans as a source of protein as they need to replace meat protein .
So that’s the science & nutrition bit out of the way , let’s get cooking.
I love spicy food , it speeds up your metabolism and spices add so much flavour to your meals , that’s why I love this recipe and style of cooking , there was a time if you stuck your head out the window you would get hit in the face with a piece of Cajun chicken or salmon , chefs have calmed down a wee bit now but there are still Cajun chicken mixes on the go in some sandwich bars .
Beans play a big part of Cajun/ Creole cookery, they are either added to casseroles, vegetables, refried and ground, cooked with pieces of pork or simply cooked in a tomato sauce. You may add chilli, cayenne and garlic to spice them up but I always use Cajun spices
You will need
Beans of your choice but not baked beans in tomato sauce !!( You can buy tins of mixed beans already cooked it won’t take as long to make this dish)
100g of Smoked bacon bits or lardons.
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of Cajun spices
1 400g tin of Chopped tomatoes.
Fresh herbs of your choice.
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 L of Chicken stock or water.
Butter for cooking.
Method.
Soak your beans for at least 24 hours if using dried ! It not open the tin and wash the juice off .
Sweat your onions in a little butter and add the garlic, bacon bits and beans.
Add your stock/water and tomatoes; gently simmer until the beans are cooked.( if using dried) if using tinned use half the stock in this recipe you are only cooking them a second time.
This may take a couple of hours if using the dried beans. make sure you keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn or stick to the pot .
When cooked stir in your Cajun spices and chopped herbs .
Serve as desired.
Here are a few wee recipe ideas for you to use up those Cajun spices too .
Cajun blackened fish, meats or vegetables.
This is a European take on Cajun foods but has proved very popular.
Your food is simply dipped in Cajun spices which have been mixed with a little flour; this cuts the spices and also allows the foods to brown without burning.
Fish.
Salmon, monkfish, cod, plain haddock or fresh prawns.
Simply dust in the flour and Cajun spice mix, pan fry until cooked.
Meats
Dust with flour, egg wash and breadcrumbs to which you have added the spices.
Shallow or deep fry until cooked, be careful with the chicken you may have to finish it in the oven. Dust chops or steaks in Cajun spices and pan fry until cooked.
Vegetables.
Stir fry in a little oil and season with the Cajun spices, finish with a little butter and serve. You may also coat them in the spices, pan fry and roast until cooked.
Corn on the cob.
Cook until tender and smother with melted butter to which you have added the Cajun spices.
