Author Notes
The last time I recall having dried beans, they had been on the shelves so long that, even after a good soak and a slow simmer, they were still crunchy. Not in a good way, either. Needless to say, I was a little hesitant to try my hand at cooking them, but after reading up on the subject and with a bag of precious Rancho Gordo Mayocoba beans stashed in the pantry, I thought it was about time I give this old comforting classic a shot.
I have been placed under the dried beans magical spell. Mixed with some fresh herbs, a bit of Parmesan rind, a squeeze of lemon, and bacon, the beans transformed into tender, nourishing bits of comfort wrapped around intense flavor. —snowcitygirl
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Ingredients
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6
Strips of bacon
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1 pound
Bag of Rancho Gordo Mayocoba beans (or similar), soaked in water overnight
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4-6 cups
Chicken stock
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2-4 cups
Water
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1
3-inch piece of Parmesan rind
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1
Bay leaf - torn in half
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2 sprigs
Fresh rosemary – 1 whole, 1 finely chopped
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1 sprig
Fresh oregano, finely chopped
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1/2 teaspoon
Kosher salt
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1 tablespoon
Fresh lemon juice
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grated Parmesan and your favorite olive oil for topping
Directions
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Cut slices of bacon into ½ inch wide piece and render in a 4-qt dutch oven or other sturdy pot on medium heat, cooking bacon in batches if necessary. Cook bacon to your crisp-ness preference, but be sure the fat renders and is left in the bottom of the pot. Remove cooked bacon and set on a paper towel to absorb excess fat, set aside for later.
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Add beans to pot, stir to coat with the bacon fat, and add 4 cups of liquid (I used a half chicken stock/half water mixture). Bring beans to a full boil and let cook for five minutes, skimming foam off the top as needed.
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Lower heat to a simmer and add Parmesan rind, bay leaf, the whole sprig of rosemary, and kosher salt. Set beans to simmer, covered, for at least two hours. Check on bean tenderness and, if necessary, add more liquid and allow to simmer longer as needed.
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When beans are nice and tender, remove the Parmesan rind, what is left of the rosemary sprig, and the bay leaf pieces. Add the finely chopped rosemary and oregano and lemon juice. At this point, taste the broth and adjust seasoning as needed.
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Just before serving, add cooked bacon pieces to beans and stir. Serve warm with plenty of both beans and broth in each portion. Top with grated Parmesan and a hearty drizzle of olive oil.
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