A pot of beans, three easy dishes

Pasta with crumpet croutons, quesadillas, fancy beans on toast

Magic little beans are nutritional powerhouses, packing in protein, fibre, iron and vitamins

I’d like to persuade you to cook some beans. Hear me out. I realise beans aren’t exactly the most – well – thrilling of foods. I know that soaking something overnight and simmering slowly for a couple of hours isn’t really in the spirit of this newsletter, in which I’ve promised you quick and fuss-free recipes. I know a badly cooked bean can be flavourless, tough and, yes, tricky to digest.

But I believe we should give beans a chance. They’re cheap. They’re highly nutritious. When shown a bit of love and care, they can taste truly delicious. Best of all, they’re extremely versatile. If you invest a little time, you’ll be rewarded with a brilliant gift from which to build recipes around throughout the week.

I learnt this method of cooking dried beans from Samin Nosrat’s incredible book, Salt Fat Acid Heat. It’s one I often turn to when I want to know how to nail a cooking technique. She suggests adding a pinch of bicarb to the water, which helps the beans become extra tender, since it creates a more alkaline cooking environment. She also stresses the importance of salting the beans properly, which helps to both flavour and soften them (it’s a myth that salting toughens dried beans).

The beans were first turned into a hearty pasta dish (think minestrone) with a crunchy topping of crumpet and roasted mushroom croutons. The crumpet croutons are garlicky, golden and dangerously good. Then they were spiced up to serve in some quick quesadillas, eaten after a particularly frantic bedtime. The rest were polished off for lunch on toast with more of that parsley and caper oil.

If my bean PR campaign has worked and you’re inspired to cook with them, or maybe you’re already a convert like me, you’ll find the recipes below.  

Finally, this week marks one month since I started this newsletter. I’ve loved hearing about the recipes you’ve tried so far – let me know in the comments if there’s anything else you’d love to see more of here. If you’re enjoying it, I would love it if you could recommend it to a friend or family member who might too, and help me spread the word.

Don’t skimp on the olive oil – this gives the beans more flavour.

Easy simmered beans

Your mothership recipe – makes enough to serve two people for the subsequent three dishes

• 225g dried beans – such as pinto, borlotti or cannellini

• Pinch bicarbonate of soda

• 1 celery stick, roughly chopped

• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Pinch chilli flakes

Cover the beans with plenty of water, season generously with salt and add a pinch of bicarb. Soak overnight, or for a few hours. The next day, add the remaining ingredients along with more water and salt and simmer over a medium heat for 1-2 hours, until tender, adding more water if they become dry.

Pasta with beans and garlicky crumpet croutons

These crunchy, golden, garlicky crumpet croutons create all-important texture

Cooking pasta in the brothy, silky beans is hands-off but with delicious results. The crumpet croutons are inspired by a recipe in Ixta Belfrage’s excellent book, Mezcla.

Serves 2

• Around one third of the cooked beans

• 200g pasta

For the parsley oil

• A big bunch of flat-leaf parsley

• 2 tsp capers

• 1 lemon, zest and juice

• 2 tbsp olive oil

For the crumpet croutons

• 2 crumpets, cut into 2cm pieces

• 100g mushrooms, roughly torn

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1. For the croutons, preheat the oven to 180C fan. Combine the ingredients in a baking tray and bake for around 15 minutes, until golden, turning halfway.

2. For the parsley oil, blitz all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add a little more oil if needed to get a spoonable consistency.

3. To make the pasta, bring the beans to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the pasta and simmer until the pasta is tender. Serve with the crumpet and mushroom croutons and the parsley oil on top.

Speedy veggie quesadillas

This plate comes from Milagros – I want everything from their shop on Columbia Road

Serves 2

• Around one third of the cooked beans

• 1 spring onion, finely chopped

• 1 red pepper, finely chopped

• 2 tsp chipotle paste, or to taste

• 1 tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• Around one third of the cooked beans

• 4 wholemeal tortilla wraps

• 100g cheddar, grated

• Crunchy salad/slaw/guacamole, to serve

1. Heat a splash of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the spring onion and pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes, until tender. Add the chipotle, spices and beans and fry for a couple more minutes, until the spices smell fragrant and the beans have warmed through.

2. Spread half of the mixture onto one tortilla and top with half the cheese. Top with the other tortilla. Heat a frying pan over a high heat and fry the tortilla for 2 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Repeat with the second tortilla.

3. Cut each into quarters and serve with guacamole, slaw or both.

Fancy beans on toast

A homemade take on beans on toast, with a zippy parsley and caper oil.

Serves 2

• The remaining beans

• 3 tbsp passata

• 1 tsp

• 2 large slices sourdough

• 2 tbsp parsley and caper oil

• Grated parmesan or cheddar, to serve (optional)

1. Heat the beans with the passata and Marmite in a pan over a medium heat for around 5 minutes, until reduced. Season to taste.

2. Meanwhile, toast the bread. Serve the beans piled on top of the toast with the parsley and caper oil drizzled on top. Finish with some grated parmesan or cheddar.

Switch it up

• Turn the quesadillas into enchiladas by spooning the mixture into tortillas then rolling and adding to a baking tray. Top with tomato sauce, cheddar and mozzarella then bake. Serve with a zingy salsa.

• Serve the crumpet croutons on top of risotto or steamed cavolo nero instead of the pasta.

Use it up

• The beans can also be made into a soup – simmer with a tin of chopped tomatoes, and throw in any leftover veggies and/or cooked meat.

• Use the parsley and caper oil as a dressing for fish or salads or spoon over scrambled eggs.

• Cut leftover tortillas into triangles before baking until crisp, turning halfway, then dunk into guacamole.

• Dip leftover crumpets in beaten egg, fry, and serve with fruit and a drizzle of maple or honey.

PS This week I’m loving…

This plate of asparagus and mushroom pappardelle with Berkswell cheese at Bottega Caruso in Margate was completely delicious. Eaten on a day trip with some fellow new mums (must-have matchstick monkey model’s own).