Last Sunday in the Hurst Bean Field we hosted our 5th annual Hurst Bean Cook-off. Every year our season pass holders showcase their best bean recipes in hopes of taking home the grand prize: Next years’ HBF Colts season pass! As always, there were some amazingly delicious and creative entries. We’d like to congratulate Matt and Brandy Fultz on their awesome “Hurst Bean Shepherds Pie” which had incredible flavor and is definitely one of the best tasting dishes ever submitted at the cook-off (recipe below!). Some of the other highlights included the Dugan’s “Italian White Bean Egg-rolls”, and our runner-up Jen Tudor’s “White Bean & Sweet Corn Queso”. See below for some pictures from the event or click HERE to view them all on our Flickr page.

Beanfield Tailgate Bake (Shepherd’s Pie)

(The wonderful thing about a Shepherd’s Pie type dish is you can combine just about anything you have available around the kitchen.  For this recipe, we decided to combine some of our favorite tailgating ingredients (sausage, beer and cheese) purchased from local retailers.)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb garlic sausage purchased from Smoking Goose  (http://www.smokinggoose.com/)
• 3 shallots or half a small onion, chopped
• 2 C corn
• 2 C Hurst white beans
• Beer cheese sauce (Welsh rarebit) – recipe below
• 3 lb potatoes (I prefer golden flesh potatoes) for mashed potatoes
• Favorite biscuit, crust or canned biscuits – enough for about 2-3 biscuits
• Salt, pepper, milk, butter to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 2 ½ qt casserole dish with cooking spray.  Firmly press and spread the biscuits on the bottom of the casserole dish, forming a thin layer on the bottom.  Place in oven for 5-7 minutes until almost done.

In a separate saucepan, boil the potatoes and drain.  Once cooked, smash and add the butter, milk, salt, pepper and/or your favorite mashed potato ingredients.  Set aside.

Remove sausage from casings and crumble the sausage in a skillet to cook.  When the sausage is almost thoroughly cooked, add the chopped onions and cook until translucent.   Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Layer the corn, beans, sausage, and pour the cheese sauce over the entire dish.  Finish with a layer of mashed potatoes (you may have some mashed potatoes leftover, depending on your preference for how much to add.)

(If you prefer a little more liquid, you may add some chicken or vegetable stock prior to finishing with the mashed potatoes; however, I have found with this recipe, it isn’t needed.)

Place in oven and cook about 25-30 minutes until the edges begin to brown and the sides become bubbly.  It may be easier, and less messy, to cook on a cookie sheet.  You can also make this dish in separate ramekins or smaller casserole dishes, varying the ingredients to individual taste.  I prefer to serve and eat this dish immediately.

Beer Cheese Sauce (Welsh Rarebit) Recipe

(Adapted from an Alton Brown recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbl unsalted butter
• 2 Tbl all purpose flour
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ tso freshly ground black pepper
• ½ C porter or stout beer (We used Bier Brewery’s award winning stout – http://www.bierbrewery.com/)
• ¾ C heavy cream
• 7 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese (Let the folks from Goose the Market guide you towards a delicious cheese – http://goosethemarket.com/)

In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.  Cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to brown the flour.  Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until smooth.  Add beer and whisk to combine.  Pour in cream and whisk until well combined and smooth.  Gradually add cheese, stirring constantly, until cheese melts and sauce is smooth, which will take about 4-5 minutes.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Here at the NK Hurst Co. we are celebrating the great Irish tradition by putting a “bean twist” on a classic St. Patty’s Day Shepherd’s Pie. The recipe makes enough to fill up the whole family, and tastes great with a tall pint of Guinness. Be safe and enjoy all of today’s festivities!

What you need:

• 1 -Bag Hurst’s HamBeens® Beef 15 Bean Soup®
• 4 Cups cooked mashed potatoes with 1 egg mixed added (homemade is best, but instant will do)
• 1 lb- Ground lamb
• 2 Cups- Chopped white onion
• 1 Cup- Chopped Carrot
• 1 Cup- Chopped Celery
• 32oz. Beef Stock
• 1/2 Cup Red Wine
• 4 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 tbsp. flour
• 1 Cup- Frozen Peas
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 oz (1/2 can) tomato paste

1. Preheat your oven to 375º. Rinse and sort through the bean mix. Check for any unwanted debris or stones and discard. Place the beans in a large bowl and soak in hot water for at least 3-4 hours. Drain the water when ready to cook.

2. In a large dutch oven (or oven safe pot), brown the lamb meat in a couple tbsp. of vegetable oil and butter over med-high heat.When the mixture is almost completely browned (do not drain), add the onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté the vegetables until the onion becomes translucent and softens. After 5 minutes, add the flour and stir continuously (creates a rue to thicken the sauce).

3. Cook for an additional 5 minutes after adding the flour, then add the beef stock and bring the pot to a low boil (be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan after adding the liquid, the browned pieces will add great flavor). Add the soaked beans and bring the pot to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and bake in the oven for 1.5 hours.

4. Remove from the oven and place back on the stove over low heat. Stir in the Frozen Peas and the Beef seasoning packet. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add red wine, parsley, rosemary, and tomato paste. Turn off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Spread the mashed potato mixture over the top of the stew. (Use a fork to create a line pattern, if desired) Set your oven to broil and place the pot (not covered) back into the oven. Watch carefully and allow the top layer of potatoes to brown.

Serve hot with a loaf of crusty and a tall pint… ENJOY!

Knowing that I would use it for a soup at some point, I left plenty of ham on the bone after Christmas dinner to accommodate the future recipe. The ham bone lasts in the freezer for several months wrapped in a zip top bag, just remember to take it out to thaw at the same time you soak the beans. I also had some cubed honey ham left from the meal that was frozen and thawed for this recipe, you can add more if you desire.

What you need:

1. 1 package HamBeens 15 Bean Soup®
   
2. 1 large honey glazed ham bone (trim off excess meat and save)
   
3. 2 cup diced yellow onion
4. 1 cup chopped carrot
5. 1 cup chopped celery
6. 3 cloves chopped garlic
7. 1 can diced tomatoes
8. 1 tbsp. chili powder
9. 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
10. Juice from 1 lemon
11. Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse and sort through the beans. Check for any debris or stones and discard. Pour the beans into a large pot or bowl and add enough water to cover the beans by 2″. Allow to soak overnight or for at least 4 hours. When finished, dump out any excess water.

2. Prepare the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. In a large soup pot, add 1-2 tbsp. of olive or vegetable oil and sauté the vegetables over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent (about 8 minutes).

3. Add the soaked beans, ham bone, and 8 cups of water (can sub chicken stock for even more flavor). Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Then reduce the heat to low and allow the soup to simmer for 1.5-2 hours.

4. Once the beans are fully tender, add the leftover cubed ham, tomatoes, lemon juice, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Continue to simmer the soup for at least another 15 minutes. At that point, it is ready to be served, but as with many soups the flavors will only continue to develop and you can get even better taste after several hours. Serve with your favorite corn bread and enjoy!

As everyone prepares for a big Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, one thing often overlooked is how to use all the great leftover turkey when the weekend rolls around. A package of Cajun 15 Bean Soup can solve this problem and satisfy the whole family after a day of Black Friday shopping.

With the tools and hardware more readily available, smoked turkeys have increased in  popularity on Thanksgiving tables across the country. While this version uses the leg meat, any portion of the bird will work great. Just pull off any excess meat and drop the bones right in with the beans as they cook. The combination of smokey and spicy flavors create a delicious soup that you will want to make year-round, not just after Thanksgiving.

What you need:

• 1 package HamBeens Cajun 15 Bean Soup®.
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2-3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 cups pulled turkey meat (+ large bones from turkey)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Sour cream (when serving)

1. Pour the beans into a colander or sieve. Rinse and sort through the beans, checking for any stones or debris and discard. Dump the beans into a large bowl and cover with at least 2″ of warm water. Allow to soak for at least 4 hours, up to overnight.

2. Pull meat off of turkey legs and set aside. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the onion and garlic with 1 tbs. of olive oil. When onion becomes translucent, add 8 cups of water, rinsed beans, and turkey bones.

3. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 60 minutes, then remove the lid and check to make sure beans are tender. When beans are fully cooked, add diced tomato, lemon juice, leftover pulled turkey, and Hurst’s cajun seasoning.

4. Continue to simmer for an additional 15 minutes, or until ready to serve. Tastes great with a dollop of sour cream and a big slice of corn bread. For some additional heat, don’t forget your favorite hot sauce!

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!

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!

As someone who really enjoys a good old-fashioned cheeseburger, it’s always been difficult to even consider eating a meat-less version when the original is just so tasty. But after my experience in the kitchen yesterday,  I have to admit that if for some reason I became a vegetarian, hope for a decent “burger” is not all lost…

Now, don’t get me wrong. In no way am I trying to say that this bean burger compares to a thick, juicy, hot-off-the-grill patty… but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  The fact is, taste-wise they are really nothing alike and both are delicious in their own right. This faux-burger recipe uses Hurst’s® Cajun 15 Bean Soup® mix and a homeade garlic aioli to create a perfect combination of flavor and textures. It may not be a giant All-American gut bomb burger, but it just flat tastes good… and isn’t that the whole point?

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® Cajun 15 Bean Soup

1- Cup finely diced onion

1- Green bell pepper, finely diced

1- Orange or yellow bell pepper, finely diced

2- Cloves minced garlic

3- Eggs

1.5- Cups bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable Oil (for pan frying)

Roasted Garlic Aioli:

1/2- Cup mayonnaise

1- tbsp. Dijon mustard

1- tbsp. lemon juice

4-5 Cloves of roasted garlic

1. Rinse (cold water) and sort through the beans. Discard any pebbles or debris that may be present. In a large bowl, cover the rinsed beans with about 3″ of cold water and allow beans to soak overnight, or at least 8 hours. After soaking, place beans in a large soup pot with 8 cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours, or until beans are completely tender. (If water amount gets too low, just add 1/2 cup at a time just to cover the beans.)

2. While beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Dice each pepper and onion into 1/4″ pieces (or smaller) and set aside.

3. When beans are cooked through, drain off any excess liquid, reserving 1 cup of the “bean stock”. Allow the beans to cool.

4. Using either a food processor, blender, or potato masher, blend the bean mixture into a stiff “bean paste”. If the mixture becomes too thick, add small amounts of the leftover bean stock. Transfer mixture into a large mixing bowl.

5. Mix in peppers, onion, garlic, 1 cup of bread crumbs, eggs, salt and pepper.

6. Stir in 3/4 of the Hurst’s Cajun seasoning packet. (If you want an even stronger Cajun punch, add in the entire package.)

7. Wet your hands (prevents sticking) and begin constructing the patties. Once formed, dredge each in the remaining bread crumbs and place on a large baking sheet. Place in the fridge while making the garlic aioli.

*NOTE: From this point on, these burgers can be fairly delicate to handle. I found that using both a hand and spatula together works the best, but let me know if you figure out a better method.

8. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon, and smashed roasted garlic cloves until fully combined. Place in the fridge until ready to serve the burgers.

9. Using a tablespoon of vegetable oil, brown both sides of the burger over medium-high heat. Flip several times to prevent burning, and allow the inside to get hot (which will help the burger “set-up” and not be mushy on the inside.)

10. Spoon on a nice big dollop of aioli, along with some fresh lettuce and tomato. Serve with a few dill pickle spears or some New Orleans style “Dirty Rice”… Enjoy!

*I also recommend a soft bun (not like the one pictured) which will help keep the burger from getting squished and falling apart.

This is also my submission for this month’s My Legume Love Affair: 13th Helping. This contest was started by The Well Seasoned Cook and Hurst is now a monthly sponsor of this great legume event. Check it out and submit your best bean recipe!

A recent trip to visit family on the east coast provided the inspiration behind this classic soup dish. Working on a 2nd bowl of my aunt’s (almost) famous clam “chowdah,” I realized that our #1 selling 15 Bean Soup® w/ ham flavor would substitute perfectly for the usual bacon or salt pork found in most chowders. Back at home, after some calls to local grocery stores, I was able to find some “freshly delivered” (the joys of living in a land-locked state) Cherrystone clams. A few hours later, it felt like I was back on the coast again with a bowl of delicious clam chowder and amazing views of the… corn fields.

This recipe is considered a “New England” chowder because of the cream base, but it would also work great utilized in a traditional “Manhattan” style chowder (differences explained HERE). It really does help to get the freshest clams possible, so if you live somewhere like Indiana, call around to a few of the stores and see when they get deliveries.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeens® 15 Bean Soup

1- Cup Roughly Chopped Clams (about 13-15 medium sized Cherrystone clams.)

2- Cup Diced Onion

2- Cup Diced Potato

1- Cup Diced Celery

1- Cup Diced Carrot

2-3 Cloves Chopped Garlic

2- Bay Leaves

2- Tsp. Thyme

1.5- Cups Heavy Cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

After a night of soaking...

1. Place the dry beans in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water for several minutes. Check for any stones or debris and discard. In a large bowl, soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours. Drain the leftover liquid and pour the soaked beans into a large soup pot with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

2. While the beans are cooking, rinse the clams thoroughly and place them in the bottom of a large pot (one with a lid). Add enough water to just cover the shells and bring to a boil (cover the pot). After about 10 minutes, all of the clams should be open (discard any that don’t). Remove from the water and allow them to cool, then use a fork or knife to remove the meat from the shells. Chop all of the meat and set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid (don’t throw it away!).

3. In a large pan with 2 tbs. of olive oil, sauté the onion, carrot and celery over medium-high heat. Cook until the onions become slightly translucent, then add the garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

4.Pour the clam stock through a sieve to remove any sand or debris. Then add 4-5 cups of the liquid to the pot of beans. Stir in the vegetables, chopped clams, bay leaf and thyme. Continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and…

5. Stir in the heavy cream, Hurst’s ham flavoring, salt and pepper. Allow the seasoning to incorporate for another 10 minutes before serving.

6. Serve with a good handful of oyster crackers or some crusty bread. You can also garnish with some freshly chopped parsley. I like mine with a few drops of hot sauce too!

I know I’m not the only one with dreaded memories of the monthly “Sloppy Joe Day” from my middle school cafeteria. The “meat” slop on a stale bun was always a little sketchy, but the concept is sound; a sweet and tomato-ey meat sauce on a burger bun. Try this recipe with a package of Hurst’s HamBeen’s® 15 Bean Soup and you will have no problem forgetting that plastic tray tragedy.

*Note: This recipe uses ground beef, but it would also taste great as a vegetarian dish if you choose to leave out the meat.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® HamBeen’s® 15 Bean Soup® (Beef Flavored)

1 lbs. -Ground beef

1- Cup Diced Onion

1- Cup Diced Green Pepper

1- Cup Tomato Ketchup

1/2- Cup Yellow Mustard

1- Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

2- Teaspoons Chili Powder

1- Tablespoon Brown Sugar

3- Cloves Chopped Garlic

1. Place the dry beans in a colander or sieve and rinse with cold water. Check for any small stones or debris that may be present and discard. Cover the beans with at least 2″ of water and soak overnight or at least 8 hours. (This will speed cooking time up considerably)

2. Place the soaked beans in a large soup pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 30-45 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Remove the lid and continue to simmer.

3. While the beans are cooking, brown the ground beef in a large saute pan and add to the bean mixture when done. Using the leftover grease from the meat, cook the onion, green pepper, and garlic for 10-12 minutes over medium-high heat. When the onions become translucent, add mixture to the pot.

4. Stir to combine. When beans are completely tender, add in remaining ingredients.

5. The final step is to add Hurst’s beef flavoring and simmer for at least 10 minutes before serving.

6. Serve nice and sloppy on a hamburger bun with your choice of sides. Enjoy!

***This is my submission for this month’s “My Legume Love Affair: 11th Helping“. If you would like to participate this month or any other, please check put the host lineup!***

(Thanks to All Kind’s of Word’s and Stuff for the cafeteria Sloppy Joe image)

]]> http://hurstbeanblog.com/2009/05/19/15-bean-sloppy-joes/feed/ 13 hurstbeans P5152817 P5152752 P5152748 P5152839 P5152741 P5152764 P5152769 P5152773 P5152788 P5152797 MLLA11 Logo 350