It's Hard to Beat a Bean

Recipes:

Italian Bean and Pasta Soup

Frijoles de Olla (Black Pot Beans)

 
by Dennis Fisher and Joe Fisher

 

As a way to preserve the bounty of the summer garden, it's hard to beat a bean. Dry beans are beloved of gardeners and seed savers because they are easy to grow, dry nicely, and once dried, will keep virtually forever. They come in an astonishing variety of colors and patterns, as attractive to the eye as they are to the palate. They are also a wonderful food, full of protein and vitamins and versatile in the kitchen.

At Chase Farm in Freedom, they know beans. Addison and Penny Chase and their daughters Meg and Phoebe have been a fixture at local farmers markets for years, well known for the variety, quality and quantity of their produce. This year the Chases are also doing the Belfast Winter Marketplace, offering tasty ready-to-eat soups, spreads, vegetables, and dry beans.

Bean culture on small farms calls for a lot of hand work. Penny Chase says that their beans are dried on the bush after growing, then the plants are pulled and the beans are shaken out of their pods. The beans are cleaned using a neighbor's old winnowing machine, and finally sorted by hand at the table. "They get a lot of personal attention," says Penny.

The results are clearly worth the effort. In rows of handmade wooden boxes is a trove of gleaming beans, ready to be scooped and weighed. The Chases sell eight varieties of dry beans and a "soup mix" of mixed beans. There are the familiar Yellow Eye, Soldier, and Kidney, but also a number of unusual beans with evocative names and stories.

Black Turtle is small and flat black with a white eye, an improved heirloom that is especially good in burritos and soups. Jacob's Cattle is an old variety that is native to Maine, originally bred by the Passamaquoddy. It is a large, elegant bean, white skin mottled with maroon. Marafax has a rich butterscotch color. Appaloosa is a New Mexico bean with coloration similar to an Appaloosa horse. King's Early is mottled red and orange.

Penny says that a lot of people ask her if the beans have different flavors to go with their various names and natures. She says that the taste differences are there, but they are subtle. "They all taste awfully good."

The Chases get most of their planting seed from Johnny's. The Seed Saver's Exchange also lists close to 1000 varieties of dry bush and pole beans. One of our favorites for home growing is Cherokee Trail of Tears, another Native American heirloom. It is an excellent sweet snap bean as well as a fine dry bean.

Italian Bean and Pasta Soup

Pick over the beans and put them in a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and leave to stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans and return them to the pot with the wine and stock. Cover the pot and simmer until slightly tender, 30-45 minutes. Remove half the beans from the pot and puree. Return the bean puree to the pot; add garlic, tomato paste, parsley, basil, fennel seed, and pasta. Simmer uncovered until the pasta is very tender and soup is thick, 25-30 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese and serve.

Frijoles de Olla (Black Pot Beans)

Mexican black beans are delicious as is, or turned into refried beans. Dried red chile pods are available from Fisher Farm. Epazote is a pungent herb, available from the Farmers' Market in summer.
Pick over the beans, place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow to stand 5 minutes, then stir and drain. Repeat this twice, then put beans in a large pot along with water, bacon, onion, chiles and garlic. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Add the salt and simmer until beans are very tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add epazote (if using) about « hour before the beans are done.

The Belfast Farmer's Market's Winter Marketplace is open Saturdays, 10-1, at the Agway Greenhouse on Route 1.