Red Kidney Bean Consommé is the most original and natural recipe made in the Caribbean. This is a recipe my mother enjoyed making very much because she did not like using dried store-bought mixed spices, liquid seasoning or any other form of spices that were not fresh. One of her main reasons for using fresh spices was because of high blood pressure.
In the Caribbean, many islanders use fresh spices only to cook their foods because they believe that real taste is only attained when fresh ingredients are used. Cooking meals with fresh spices are the best way to eat healthily.
Red Kidney Bean Consomme
Unfortunately, we are spoiled by the many varieties of mixed spices offered in markets and supermarkets. Finding the right spice blend is a challenge because of the amount of sodium added. If you use store-bought spices to cook your meals, it is recommended to choose spices that contain small amount or no sodium at all. This way you can control the amount of salt in your food.
When cooking beans, the quantity of salt must be monitored. A salty bean consommé is hard to fix. You can add sugar, but you will still ruin the taste.
A close-up of red kidney beans on a table. Photo Credit Pachai-Leknettip/iStock/Getty Images
Adding beans to your diet is excellent because of the many health benefits. Dried beans are always available year round. When using dried beans, you can choose to soak or not to soak. I will soak my beans depending on the brand.
The beauty of this recipe is that it is so easy that you really don’t have to do much to it. One important step you must always remember is to remove any unwanted items like dirt, stones, spoiled beans, etc. You must also rinse the beans under running water to make sure they’re clean.
Red Kidney Beans Consomme
Using fresh spices for this recipe is a must. Fresh spices such as thyme, scallions, chives, garlic must be sautéed and not burnt. When the spices are sautéed, they release their aroma onto the beans to create a delicious dish.
Red Kidney Bean Consomme
Red Kidney Bean Consommé can be enjoyed with white rice or by itself.
Enjoy,
Sources:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=87
Ingredients
- 1 pound of dried kidney beans
- 3 quarts water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil grapeseed oil or coconut oil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 sprig fresh parsley
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 scallions chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives chopped, optional
- 1 red onion or 1 large shallot chopped
- 3 whole cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Gemma's Gourmet Hot Sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Clean and wash the beans under running water to remove any dirt if necessary. Soak the beans in 3 quarts of water overnight or for about 4 – 6 hours. Add beans and water in a Dutch oven or a stockpot and cook for the beans over medium to high heat on a stovetop for about 2 hours or 2 hours and 30 minutes.
- In a small skillet heat oil, and sauté garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves scallions, chives, red onion and whole cloves of 1 minute or 2 – just enough time for the spices to start releasing their aroma. Remove from heat and promptly add mixture to boiling beans. Stir and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until the beans become creamy. To arrive at a creamy consistency, take one or two ladleful of the beans and puree in a blender or food processor. Return to the Dutch oven or stockpot and stir to mix.
- Stir in Gemma's Original Hot Sauce.Continue to cook for another 5 minutes.
- Serve with rice.
Notes
If you have a brand of beans you trust, you do not need to soak the beans.
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