Three-Bean Cassoulet

September 11, 2009 at 12:25 pm (baby carrots, basil, bay leaf, canned diced tomatoes, dried thyme, garbanzos, garlic, great northern beans, kidney beans, lima beans, Main Dish, onion, parsley, pepper, salt, slow cooker, stovetop, Vegetarian)

A cassoulet (or “bean pot stew” in French) is traditionally a baked casserole featuring tender, slow-cooked beans. This slow cooker version retains the richness of the original dish but doesn’t require you to be hovering around the oven for hours.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup dried lima beans or kidney beans
1 cup dried great Northern beans
1 cup dried garbanzo beans
4-1/2 cups water
1 lb baby carrots
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cover beans with cold water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Drain beans. Combine drained beans, 4-1/2 cups water, carrots, onion, garlic and seasonings except salt and tomatoes in 3-1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker. Mix well to combine. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 8-9 hours or until beans and vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes and salt, cover, and cook 1 hour longer on low. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Leave a Comment

Finnish Summer Soup

June 20, 2008 at 1:55 pm (all-purpose flour, baby carrots, frozen whole baby carrots, half-and-half, new potatoes, salt, small boiling onions, soup, stovetop, white pepper)

Finnish Summer Soup

Summer’s most tender offerings – petite new peas, baby carrots, tiny oions, new potatoes – bob in a light cream soup. For a luncheon, you could serve mdoerate-size portions of this delightful soup with an array of decorated open-faced sandwiches. For supper you could serve larger portions accompanied by a bread-and-cheese platter.

2 cups water
4 to 6 small thin-skinned potatoes, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
6 small boiling onions, or 6 green onions (including tops), cut into 3-inch lengths
12 very young fresh baby carrots (1/2 pound) or 8 oz frozen whole baby carrots
1/2 lb fresh young green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths, or 9 oz frozen cut green beans
2 cups fresh, shelled, tiny peas or 10 oz frozen tiny green peas
2 cups half-and-half (light cream)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heat water to boiling in a wide 5-quart pan; add potatoes.l Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, butter, onions, carrots, and green beans; simmer for 8 more minutes. Add peas and cook for another 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

In a small bowl, stir together half-and-half and flour until smooth; stir into simmering vegetables. Cook, stirring, until soup is slightly thickened (about 5 minutes). Makes five 1 2/3-cup servings.

Leave a Comment