Bean Broth with Croutons
I used black eyes peas simply because that’s what was in my pantry. Feel free to use any kind of dried beans to make this delicious bean broth recipe and serve with croutons, parsley and Parmesan, or other garnishes that you might prefer. I used the ends of a loaf bread to make garlic croutons. It goes to show, in times of pandemic, nothing goes to waste! Inspired by the magazine Bon Appetit, this is another great one! You can watch a video of me cooking this recipe with my kids here.
Bean Broth With Croutons
Serves 4 to 6 people
For the Black Beans:
1 pound dried black eyed beans, picked over and rinsed (but not soaked)
8 to 10 cups water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and whole
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 fresh bay leaves
For the Croutons:
2 end slices of any type of country bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly chopped parsley
For the Beans:
Place the black beans in a pressure cooker and cover with tap water by 2 inches. (about 8 to 10 cups of water). Add the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and bay leaves. Lock the lid and bring to a boil. When you hear the sound of the pressure cooker in full gear, reduce the heat to medium- low (it is very important to maintain a constant gentle pressure because the pressure keeps increasing as the boiling point of the water increases). Check the beans after 20 to 25 minutes – they should be tender, showing no traces of starch, but not mushy. The water will be cloudy. Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the Croutons:
Tear the bread into small pieces or cut them with a serrated knife. In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the oil and butter. add the bread in a single layer. the oil and butter should be bubbling lightly. Adjust the heat as necessary and keep stirring the croutons as often as you can, to make sure they turn golden evenly all around. Cook until the croutons are crisp and a beautiful golden rich golden brown on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Let them cool completely. Once cooled they can be stored in the refrigerator and warmed back in a hot oven for 3 minutes to crisp up again.
To assemble, pour some of the beans into bowls and garnish with croutons, parmesan and parsley.
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Leticia