Recipe

Herby Pot o' Beans w/Lime-Pickled Onions

Photo by eatboutique

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe for Beans
Chef
eatboutique's Notes: I love beans. I grew up on beans. When most other families had rice or potatoes on the side, my Honduran Mom always had a big pot of beans on the stove, or packed up in the fridge, ready to...
I love beans. I grew up on beans. When most other families had rice or potatoes on the side, my Honduran Mom always had a big pot of beans on the stove, or packed up in the fridge, ready to go. These aren't my Mom's beans, but they are yummy, mainly because I use a variety of dried heirloom beans found just north of Boston, Baer's Best. I serve these with lime-pickled onions and corn tortillas. My husband loves them alongside a big bowl of rice.

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1 small bunch of thyme, tied with kitchen twine Ask a question about this ingredient

1 jalapeno or other hot pepper, thinly sliced (seeds removed) Ask a question about this ingredient

12 ounces dried heirloom beans (that have soaked overnight in a large bowl of water) Ask a question about this ingredient

1 heavy sprinkle of kosher salt (for the lime-pickled onions) Ask a question about this ingredient

1 juiced lime (for the lime-pickled onions) Ask a question about this ingredient

Saute the vegetables and the garlic in the olive oil until soft, and the onion is slightly translucent, about 15 minutes.
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Toss in the herbs and hot pepper, along with the beans. Saute for about 5 minutes just so the beans get a nice sheen.
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Add the white wine and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the wine boils.
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Add in the broth. If the beans aren't covered, add in water to cover completely. Return the pot to a boil with the lid off. Once the liquid boils, turn the heat down to simmer, put the lid on and let cook for 60-90 minutes until desired tenderness is reached.
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I prefer less mushy beans; I like it when they still hold their shape a bit. But if you want them to be all silky and soft, cook them a bit longer.
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Season with salt and pepper, and remove the thyme bunch before serving.
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For the Lime-Pickled Onions: Place the onion ringlets in a bowl with a heavy sprinkle of kosher salt. Let sit for 15 minutes. Drain any excess water out of the bowl and squeeze the lime juice over the onions. Massage together and let sit while you make the beans. Sprinkle a few ringlets over your personal pot o' beans just before serving with a heaping stack of corn tortillas.
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