(Courtesy of Susan Wolfe)

It’s hard to believe, but Hurst has now been a sponsor of MLLA for over a year! Started by Susan Wolfe (The Well Seasoned Cook), this monthly contest features some amazing legume recipes from around the food-blogging community. The 26th installment is hosted by briciole and will accept entries through August 31st. We will continue to supply each monthly winner with a 6-pack of Hurst’s products and want to thank Susan for allowing us to be a part of these great events!

After a brief hiatus, the Hurst Bean Blog is back! Be sure to check in regularly for recipe updates, bean info from around the internet, and “what’s new” at the N.K. Hurst Co. —

With 90˚+ temps all over the country, there couldn’t be a better time to make this refreshing and delicious Mediterranean Lentil Salad. It works great as a side dish for your next cookout, or perfect as an easy and healthy snack any time of day.

This recipe uses Hurst’s® French Green Lentils. While any type of lentil would work for this dish, it’s best to use a “whole” variety rather than a “split” because they will hold their shape and not break down during cooking. One of the great things about this healthy dish is how quickly it can be made. In less than a 1/2 hour everything can be prepped, mixed, and left in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

What you need:

• 1 lb. French Green (or other whole variety) Lentils
• 2 Cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 Cup diced yellow onion
• 1/2 Cup diced red onion
• 1 Cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 Cup diced green pepper
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Penzey’s “Mural of Flavor” seasoning (discussed HERE and you can buy online HERE)
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 tsp. clove
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the yellow onion with a tablespoon oil. When the onion becomes translucent, add the chopped garlic and cook until the mixture begins to brown.

2. Sort and rinse the lentils thoroughly. Remove any debris or dirt and discard. Add the lentils into the pot and cover with 7-8 cups of water. Turn the heat to high and bring the contents to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are completely tender.

3. While waiting for the lentils, add the olive oil, vinegar, and all dry seasonings to a large mixing bowl. Whisk together thoroughly, then add the red onion, green peppers, and tomatoes. Stir to combine.

4. When the lentils are finished cooking, drain completely and add them to the mixing bowl. Stir well to combine and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

(Try topping it with some crumbled feta cheese for even more great flavor!)

For those of you familiar with the N.K. Hurst Co., you may know that we are located in the shadow of Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. For over 25 years we have been a host to tailgaters and some of the best pregame festivities in the area. Needless to say, we are all huge football fans (especially the Colts) and after last week’s win in the AFC Championship, we can’t wait for the “Big Game” on February 7th.

With that in mind, I thought it was a good time to break out one of my current favorite recipes, and one that will work great for that “Big Game” party.

GO HORSE……

A cross between America’s favorite “Big Game” snack and America’s favorite 15 Bean Soup®. It’s like biting into a bowl full of buffalo chicken wings with a subtle hint of blue cheese… AND BEANS! It’s the best of both worlds! Serve with fresh celery and carrot sticks for the full experience!

What you need:

• 1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Chicken 15 Bean Soup
• 1- Cup Diced Onion
• 1- Cup Diced Carrot
• 1- Cup Diced Celery
• 2-3 Cloves Chopped Garlic
• 1 lb. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• 12 oz. (1.5 Cups) Buffalo Wing Sauce
• 1/2- Cup Blue Cheese Dressing
• 10- Cups Water
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pour the dry beans into a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Sort through the beans checking for any small stones or unwanted debris.Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl and cover with 2+ inches of water. Allow to soak for at least 3 hours.

2. After soaking, drain any excess water and set aside the beans. In a large soup pot over medium-high, sauté the carrot, onion, and celery in a 2 tbs. olive oil. Cook for 5-10 minutes, add garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.

3. Add beans, chicken breast, and water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for apprx. 1.5-2 hours. Check beans for tenderness.

4. When beans are fully cooked, reduce heat to low and remove chicken breasts. Shred with 2 forks, then add back to soup pot.

5. Add Hurst’s® chicken seasoning, buffalo sauce and blue cheese. Stir to combine.

6. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with carrots and celery sticks… ENJOY!

This past Sunday in the Hurst Bean Field®, we hosted our 3rd Annual Hurst Bean Cookoff during the pregame tailgate party. Once again, we were blown away by the amount of creativity and effort that went into the presentation of these dishes. From the “Hurst Hoosier Gumbo” (served with Dom Perignon!), to the Dugan Family’s winning “Spicy Sausage and Chicken with Black Beans”, we appreciate all who participated and can’t wait for next years’ contest!

Continue reading for some of our favorite entries and pictures!

A special thanks to our 3 judges, they consumed enough beans (and booze!) to last through the holidays.

Zack Legend (http://zacklegend.com/)

Mel McMahon (http://twitter.com/melmcmahon)

Chef Wendell Fowler (http://www.chefwendell.com/)

Winner: Dan and Amanda Dugan, Spicy Chicken & Sausage with Black Beans

Recipe:

2-tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lb. bulk hot Italian sausage

1/2 lb. Andouille sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces

1- large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 large onion, chopped

2- carrots, shredded

2 celery ribs, thinly sliced

1 bay leaf

10 oz. Hurst’s® Black Beans

5-6 sprigs fresh sage

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 loaf Italian bread

3- tbsp. butter, melted

3-4 sprigs thyme

Handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

Boil black beans according to package directions, drain and set aside. Heat oil in Dutch Oven. Add Italian sausage and crumble into small pieces. Cook until it begins to brown, then add Andouille sausage. Cook until edges begin to crisp. Remove sausage to a paper towel. Add chicken to pan and season with salt a pepper. Lightly brown, then add carrots, celery, onions, and bay leaf. Cook until veggies become soft. Add sausage, beans, and sage to pan. Stir in wine to deglaze, then add stock and stir to combine. Cut bread into large chunks and toss with butter, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread bread across top of pan and place under broiler for about 5 minutes to brown. Serve directly from the pot.

Other Favorites:

“Craig n’ Em’s Cajun 15 Beans n’ Rice w/ Andouille Sausage

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped

1/2 lb. smoked sausage, chopped

1/2 lb. ground beef

1- medium size onion, small dice

1- green bell pepper, small dice

4- stalks celery, chopped

1- package Hurst’s® 15 Bean Soup®

1- can chicken stock

1- can diced tomatoes

3- bay leaves

1 Tbsp. thyme

1- Tbsp. Oregeno

1- Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

Cooked rice

Grilled Andouille sausage

Sauté bacon, sausage, and ground beef until fat is rendered. Add veggies, sauté until tender. Add Hurst’s 15 Beans, stock, tomatoes, and seasonings. Simmer until beans are soft. Serve over rice and topped with grilled andouille sausage.

“Kona Coast” HamBeens® Soup – KC Kern

1- Pkg. Hurst’s® HamBeens®

6-8 Cups water

1 lb. cubed ham

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple

1- Jar (9 oz.) habanero a roasted pineapple dip (optional)

Place beans in pot and cover with 1-2″ water. Bring to a boil, then slow simmer for 2 hours. Chop up peppers. Add ham, pineapple, butter, brown sugar, salt, peppers, and habanero dip. Continue on medium heat until slow simmer returns, about 20-30 minutes. Enjoy!

15 “Beaña” Colada’s - Kathy Mueller

4- quarts “15 Bean Ice cream” (made using cooked and pureéd Hurst’s beans)

1- 46 oz. can pineapple juice

1- 16 oz. can cream of coconut

8 shots of dark rum

-Soften the ice cream, then blend all ingredients and serve immediately.

Click below for more pics from the ’09 Cookoff!

It’s all here: Turkey, roasted carrots, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green beans, and…oh yeah. Gravy. This Friday, many will stand in front of a fridge filled with Thanksgiving leftovers and wonder “what to do”? Here’s a simple recipe that combines many of your “traditional” leftovers with 15 Bean Soup® to create a thick and hearty stew that is sure to please everyone, even those still riding a tryptophan high.

Some of you may consider it poor taste using delicious, leftover roasted turkey in anything other than a big ol’ sammich. As good as that is, the meat begins to dry out a little in the days after the big meal. Cooking a “liquid based” dish will help mask some of that lost moisture and after tasting this dish, you will not be disappointed that you didn’t throw that turkey on another piece of dry bed. (Although at midnight, under the light of your refrigerator, even I’m biased for that tried and true turkey, cranberry, and gravy sandwich.)

What you need: (Makes 12+ servings!)

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup w/ Chicken Flavor

1-2 Cups diced turkey (Leftovers!

1- Cup diced celery

1- Cup diced onion

1- Cup diced roasted carrot (Leftovers!)

1/2- Cup cooked green beans (Leftovers!)

1- Cup mashed sweet potatoes (Leftover!)

1- Cup turkey gravy (Leftovers!)

2- bay leafs

5- Cups H2O

Mashed Potatoes (Leftovers!)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Leftover chopped green onion from the Thanksgiving Butter Bean recipe! (for garnish)

1. Pour the beans into a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Sort through the mix and remove any debris or dirt that may be present. Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with at least 2″ of warm water. Allow the beans to soak for at least 3-4 hours prior to cooking. Drain any remaining water and discard, set the beans aside. Preheat oven to 375º.

2. Cut the roasted carrots into bite sized pieces. Then in a dutch oven or “oven safe” pot, sauté the celery, onion, and carrots in a few tbsp. of olive oil over medium-high heat.

3. When the onions become translucent (4-5 min.), add the diced turkey, green beans, sweet potato, and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil and stir in the soaked beans. Add the bay leaf, cover the pot, and move to the 375º oven. Cook for 1 hour, stirring the mixture at 30 minutes.

4. After 1 hour, remove from the oven and stir in 1 cup of gravy and 1/2 package of Hurst’s Chicken Seasoning packet. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes while you reheat the leftover mashed potatoes.

5. Remove the bay leafs and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Garnish with some of the chopped green onion and serve over some steaming mashed potatoes… a couple of biscuits or rolls work perfect for dunking… Enjoy!

With the holiday just around the corner, it’s a great time to look at Thanksgiving recipes that utilize Hurst’s® products. Butter Beans are incredibly easy to make, and at less than .70¢ per serving it is a delicious AND economical side item for any Thanksgiving table.

If you are looking for something “new” this year to serve with your traditional turkey and gravy, give this recipe a try and you will see why it has become a staple item on our family’s Thanksgiving menu. With a perfect balance of creamy texture and savory taste, Butter Beans are great year round but work especially well with holiday roasts.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Large Limas

1 lbs. finely diced, lean ham (Can substitute the provided Ham Flavor packet if desired)

1/2 cup diced shallot (can substitute white onion)

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 stick (8 tbsp.) butter (come on, it’s Thanksgiving!)

2 bay leafs

3 cups water

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1/2 cup minced green onion (for garnish)

1. Pour the dry beans into a colander or sieve. Sort and rinse the beans thoroughly with cold water. Check for any dirt or debris that may be present and discard.Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with 2″ of water. Allow the beans to soak for at least 2-3 hours prior to cooking. When ready, discard any remaining water and set the beans aside. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. In a large dutch oven (or oven safe pot with lid), sauté the shallot and garlic with the oil over medium-high heat. When the shallot becomes translucent (4-5 minutes) add the diced ham and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.

3. Add the Limas and water, turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, add the butter, bay leafs, and cracked black pepper (no salt yet!). Stir the mixture to combine, then cover and place into your preheated oven.

4. Cook for 1 hour, stirring once half way through. When finished, some of the Limas should have broken down and combined with the butter to create a cream-like texture. Add salt and more black pepper to taste. Keep warm until ready to serve.

5. Garnish with a small amount of the chopped green onion and serve along side your Thanksgiving favorites!

This recipe approved by

“Butterbean”***

***No, not really!

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to utilize one of the most underrated and versatile ingredients. Readily available this time of year, pumpkins have a sweet, earthy flavor that works great in a wide range of dishes, especially soups. Don’t confuse using fresh pumpkin with that canned stuff though, just a small amount of prep work with a “Pie Pumpkin” will make all the difference in the world… and they make a nice serving dish too!

More often than not, we associate cooking pumpkins with making pumpkin pie. While the dessert is delicious in its’ own right, pumpkin works just as well in many other dishes. This recipe uses Hurst’s® Confetti Lentil Soupreme™  as the base and adds the sweet “fall flavors” of cinnamon and allspice, as well as a little bit of heat from cumin and cayenne pepper. The result is a deliciously rich and creamy soup that not only tastes great on an early fall evening, but is incredibly healthy for you as well.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® Confetti Lentil Soupreme™

8- Cups of water or stock

1- Whole “Pie Pumpkin” or “Cooking Pumpkin”, skinned, seeded, and cubed (should produce about 4 cups)

1- Cup diced onion

2- Cloves garlic, smashed tsp cumin

2 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. cayenne

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2- Cup heavy cream

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tbsp. Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Place lentils in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Set aside.

2. Dice the onion into 1/2″ pieces and set aside. Cut the pumpkin (serrated knife works best) in half length-wise. Using a spoon, carve out the soft “stringy” insides along with the seeds. Then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from the outside. Chop the remaining halves into 1/2″-1″ pieces.

3. In a large soup pot (or Dutch oven), turn the heat to medium-high and sauté the pumpkin, onion, and garlic with the olive oil and butter. Cook until the onion becomes translucent and the pumpkin begins to brown slightly.

4. Add the water or stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the lentils, 1/2 of Hurst’s flavor packet, and the rest of the dry seasonings. Reduce the heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes.

5. (OPTIONAL STEP) At this point, if you would prefer a chunky style soup, skip ahead to the next step. Otherwise, using a submersion blender (or a food processor/ regular blender) puree the mixture until smooth or you reach a desired consistency.

6. Stir in the heavy cream until completely incorporated.

7. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh ground pepper.

This recipe easily makes 10-12 servings and freezes very well too… Enjoy!

Pumpkin Lentil Soup is my submission for this month’s My Legume Love Affair: 16th Helping. Our host this month is Cook Sister!, so be sure to check out the results and send in your recipes! As always, Hurst’s is proud to sponsor the MLLA event and will provide the usual 6 pack of beans to the winner!

Here at the N.K. Hurst Co. we are always on the lookout for recipes that feature dry beans, especially if it is created by someone famous in the culinary world. In a round-about way, this “bean publicity” helps promote the use of our product, and that’s always a positive!

A perfect example: Just last week we discovered “It’s About Bean Season”, an article in the INDYSTAR from world renowned chef Wolfgang Puck. He expounds on the virtues of beans and even goes so far as to say “…my favorite soup ingredient is probably dried beans.” We couldn’t ask for a much better endorsement than that, so I decided to try out his recipe using our HamBeens® Great Northern Bean Soup.

Quick: Name the first restaurant Wolfgang Puck worked at in America?

Answer: La Tour…………….. in INDIANAPOLIS!

Yes, it may be hard to believe, but Puck’s first venture in an American kitchen happened right here in the Circle City!

In the Indystar article, Puck discusses the many positives of cooking with dry beans. Their long shelf life, high nutritional values, and their ability to adapt to all types of cuisine are just some of the reasons he loves them so much. His White Bean Soup w/ Pancetta & Swiss Chard turned out delicious and the perfect meal as the nights begin to cool down.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Great Northern Bean Soup

3/4 pound unsliced pancetta (If necessary, can substitute cured bacon as I have here)

2- sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen string

2- tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2- celery stalks, cut into small dice

1- medium-sized yellow onion, cut into small dice

1- medium-sized leek, trimmed, split lengthwise, thoroughly washed, and cut into small dice

4- garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

1- cup dry white wine

3- ounces white wine vinegar

6- cups organic chicken broth

1 1/2- tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3/4- tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4- pound Swiss chard leaves, cut crosswise into strips 1/2 inch wide

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Rinse and sort through the dry beans, checking for any stones or unwanted debris and discard. Pour the beans into a large bowl and cover with at least 2″ of water. Allow the beans to soak overnight or at least 6 hours. After soaking, drain and discard the water.

2. Place the beans, thyme sprigs, and 1/2 the pancetta into a large soup pot and cover with at least 2″ of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1.5 hours.

3. In a separate pot, add in the olive oil and the remaining pancetta (diced). Saute over medium heat until it browns and begins to crisp. Then add the onion, leeks, celery, and garlic to the pot and cook until the onions become translucent (3-5 minutes). Raise heat to medium-high, add wine and vinegar, and boil until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes more.

4. Once the beans are cooked through, save a 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the rest. Place 1/2 of the beans in a food processor or blender and puree to a smooth consistency. Use the remaining cooking liquid to help loosen the mixture while blending.

5. Add the whole and pureed beans to the vegetable mixture along with broth, parsley and thyme leaves. Stir well. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the whole beans are tender and soup is thick, about 15 minutes longer. Season to taste.

A few minutes before serving, stir in the strips of Swiss chard. Continue cooking just until they have wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Ladle the soup into large bowls and top with a small handful of the freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Recipe originally By Wolfgang Puck / Tribune Media Services

The Hurst Bean Field, along with 95.5 WFMS, is once again hosting the biggest pre-show tailgate of the summer! The Bean Field will be the place to be for all your concert festivities. There are a few changes from last year, so please click below for more details and come down to the HBF on Saturday, September 19th!

TAILGATE DETAILS

Pictures from the PARTY

Georgia has its’ Vidalia Onions. Idaho has its’ potatoes. Even Oklahoma has its’ (controversial vegetable) Watermelons. So it’s hard to believe (especially around this time of year) that Indiana hasn’t made Sweet Corn its’ official vegetable yet. Drive for several hours in any direction and as soon as the buildings disappear, 6′+ giant stalks appear. The ears are enormous and have a taste as sweet as anywhere you will find. I try to incorporate the delicious veggie into at least 2 meals a week while in season. So with that in mind, I made a trip to the downtown Indy Farmers’ Market to find the ingredients for some Sweet Corn and White Bean Chowder.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Great Northern Bean Soup

4- Cups fresh sweet corn (about 6 large ears)

1- Cup diced onion

1- Cup diced celery

1- Cup diced carrot

1- Cup diced potato

1/2- Cup heavy cream

2- Bay leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

Crumbled bacon (for garnish)

Chopped green onion (for garnish)

1. Place the dry beans into a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Check for any small stones or debris and discard.  Place the beans in a large (6 quart) soup pot and add 12 cups of water. With the heat on high, bring to a rolling boil, then cover and reduce the heat and simmer the beans for 1 hour.

2. While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion, carrot, celery, and potato all into 1/4″ pieces. Boil the corn for 10 minutes, then remove from the water and allow to cool before cutting the kernels off the cob.

3. After cooking the beans for 1 hour, add the carrot, onion, celery, potato, corn and bay leaf into the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil once again, then cover and simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until beans are tender. (***You can also add the used corn cobs back into the pot during this time to extract even more flavor. Just remove prior to the next step.)

4. Once the beans are tender, turn the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream along with Hurst’s ham flavor packet. Remove the bay leaves, then salt and pepper the soup to taste.

5. Sprinkle some of the crisp bacon bits, green onion and a little extra black pepper on top of the chowder. The results combine both the sweet flavor of the corn with the delicious smokey ham flavoring in the bean soup. I like to add a little hot sauce to my bowl and think it finishes the chowder off perfectly… Enjoy!

*This is my submission for this month’s My Legume Love Affair: 14th Helping. Hurst’s Beans is proud to sponsor this monthly event and will provide a bean prize to the winner! Thanks to The Well-Seasoned Cook for hosting this great event in August!