Smoked Bean Ragout

By dashy_65

Margarett Malone and Chef Eric Tucker, Millennium, San Francisco, California, Cooking Light

MARCH 1995

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried white beans
• 1 cup dried baby lima beans
• 6 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon barbecue smoke seasoning (such as Hickory Liquid Smoke)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 whole garlic heads
• 2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
• 4 cups vertically sliced onion
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried savory
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• Corn Risotto

Details

Servings 9
Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Sort and wash beans; place in a Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans, and bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain beans, and return to pan. Add 6 cups water, liquid smoke seasoning, and 2 bay leaves; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Drain beans in a colander; discard bay leaves. Set beans aside.

Remove white papery skin of garlic heads, making sure not to peel or separate cloves. Wrap each head separately in aluminum foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; let cool for 10 minutes. Separate cloves, and squeeze to extract 1/3 cup pulp; discard skins. Set pulp aside.

Steam squash, covered, 6 minutes or until crisp-tender; set aside.

Combine onion and sherry in Dutch oven. Cover and cook over medium heat 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar and sugar. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat 15 minutes or until onion turns deep golden, stirring frequently. Add beans, garlic pulp, squash, broth, and next 7 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf, and stir in tomato. Serve over Corn Risotto.

NOTE: Suggested cutting in half, review said doesn't taste good reheated.

268 cal, 12.6g fat, 51.6g carbs, 7.8g fiber, 321mg sodium