White Beans with Lamb (Etli Kuru Fasulye)

This dish does not look like much, but let me tell you it is quite delicious. I have a tendency to fall into a groove with seasonings for certain kinds of dishes, so I was intrigued when I found this recipe in Saveur Magazine. The lamb and seasonings were different enough from the white bean dishes I usually make that I was eager to try it.

The only reason I hesitated to try it is because I love broiled lamb chops so much that I wasn't sure I wanted to waste one by putting it into a stew. I'd glad I finally decided to try it. That tiny little chop packed a powerhouse of flavor, and the meat was tender and delicious.

Etli Kuru Fasulye is a Turkish dish and translates to White Beans with Meat. In most of the recipes I saw, one is instructed to soak the beans overnight. Ever since I discovered the no-soak method of cooking beans I do not bother with that. And I have recently discovered that this method works just as well on the stove top as it does in the oven. Once the beans are boiling, just lower the heat as low as it will go and simmer until the beans are tender. So now you no longer have any excuse not to cook beans from dried. It is so much less expensive to do it that way, and you know exactly what is going into them and you don't have to worry about the BPA in the cans

Given my tendency to try to healthy up my meals by adding vegetables whenever I can, I am thinking that adding a bunch of greens would greatly add to the flavor of this dish. But it is awfully delicious as is. Maybe I'll just serve the greens on the side.

Home Cookin Chapter: Beef and Lamb

STEWED WHITE BEANS (Etli Kuru Fasulye)

Makes 6-8 servings

2 cups dried white beans
2-3 dried chilis de arbol
2 medium yellow onions, 1 halved, 1 finely chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 6-oz lamb blade chop
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large banana pepper or Italian frying pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 tsp dried ground aleppo pepper or paprika
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Sort through and rinse the beans. Place them in a large saucepan and cover to about 2-1/2 inches with cold water. Add the chilis, halved onion, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a rapid boil, then cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the beans are just tender, anywhere from 45 minutes to one-and-a-half hours, checking at ten minute intervals after the first 30 minutes. When they are tender, drain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot. Add the lamb and cook, until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes. Add the remaining chopped onions, garlic and banana pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato sauce, Aleppo pepper, oregano and tomatoes and cook until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the broth and the beans and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are reheated and the flavors have blended. Take the lamb chop out of the pot. Remove the meat from the bone and cut it into bite-size pieces, then return it to the pot. Season to taste with salt. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.

adapted from Saveur Magazine, Number 120.

Exported from Home Cookin 6.46 (www.mountain-software.com)