Butterbean Casserole

50g of dried butter beans per person
Oil
Garlic, roughly chopped
Onion, roughly chopped
Celery, roughly chopped
Rosemary, stripped from the talk
Bay leaf
Fennel seeds
Tin of tomatoes
Stock

Soak the beans in at least twice as much water for several hours, preferably overnight. Rinse them, then boil them in fresh water for about ten minutes. Meanwhile heat the oil in another pan and fry the garlic, onion, celery, rosemary, bay leaf and fennel seeds.

When the beans are boiled, drain them. When the other vegetables are softened, add the beans, stir in the hot oil for a minute or so, then add tomatoes and stock. Cook for at least forty five minutes, until the beans are softening and the sauce is thick.

It's into casserole season! This doesn't require too much effort, but it does require planning in advance. You could, of course, use tinned butter beans, which don't require soaking, and probably don't need the first boil. Check the side of the tin for details. They may require less cooking which could be a concern; the point such as it is, is to have the sauce cook for almost an hour to really create flavour.

 

A good dish on it's own, I served this with roast pork belly.