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

Now that “cookout season” is in full swing, it seems like at least twice a week we are enjoying something hot off the grill. Typically this also includes some sort of bean dish on the side, and while it varies depending on the meal, one of our “old standby’s” is baked beans.

I’ll admit it… I too, like many people, find myself running out of time and will reach into the pantry for a can of “baked beans.” There are so many choices of canned BB’s at the store it’s easy to fall into this predicament. But, if you’re willing to start from scratch and give freshly baked beans a try just once, I guarantee you won’t go back to the mushy mess of canned beans again.

Let’s be honest, pretty much anything that includes some pork and pineapple we consider it “Hawaiian,” so it’s no wonder with plenty of bacon and fresh pineapple that this version of baked beans is called just that. The sweet and spicy flavors combine to produce an incredible taste that works great as a side dish for any cookout, but they are so good I’d eat them for any occasion all by themselves.

What you need:

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

1- Whole Pineapple, peeled and diced

1- Medium Yellow Onion, diced

1- Green Pepper, diced

1/2- Cup Brown Sugar

1/2- Cup Ketchup

1/2- Cup Molasses

1/4- Cup Yellow Mustard

1/4- Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2-3 Cloves Garlic, minced

1/2-1 lb. Cooked Bacon, chopped or crumbled

1/4- Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Place the Northern’s in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Check for any dirt or debris and discard.

2. In a large soup pot, cover the beans with roughly 2″ of water and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans for about 1 hour. Once they begin to soften, pour the beans and 1/2 cup of liquid into a baking dish or dutch oven.

3. While the beans are cooking, saute the diced onion, peppers, and garlic in some of the left over bacon grease or olive oil. When the onion become translucent, add in the rest of the ingredients.

4. Mix well and simmer for 10-15 minutes, then pour it over the beans in the baking dish.

5. Add Hurst’s Ham Flavor and stir well to combine all ingredients.

6. Cover with foil and bake in a 350° oven 4-5 hours or until beans are completely tender. If you would like to thicken up the bean liquid, remove the foil for 30 minutes during the end of cooking.

7. Serve with a few slices of fresh pineapple and these beans will be great along side your favorite “grill-out” dishes. They also are delicious served chilled in a box lunch (perfect for a picnic or race day!) Enjoy!

As summer quickly approaches, the idea of eating a warm and hearty soup seems to steer a lot of people away from utilizing beans in their everyday diet. Because they are so easy to add to any soup or stew, it is easy to forget that beans can adapt just as well to chilled dishes. This recipe features the “earthy” flavor of Blackeye Peas with fresh vegetables, and is tossed in a delicious tangy and spicy dressing.

The name “Cowboy Caviar” sums this dish up quite well; it is a refined take on a fairly unrefined product (beans). A web search will produce quite a few versions of the recipe (one of my favorites), but the problem I have found with many of these is the use of canned beans (go figure). The issue is that canned bean products are almost always too mushy and soft. The texture of the fresh vegetables in this case is completely ruined if you use a bean that can’t hold up, especially considering that this dish is always “better the next day”. Use dry beans and not only will the final result be much better, but you can make twice as much for 1/2 the cost…

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® Brand Blackeye Peas

1- Cup Diced Tomato. (substitute canned if you need to)

1- Cup Sweet Corn (cut from 2 ears)

1- Cup Green Pepper, diced.

1- Cup Diced Red Onion

1- Jalapeno, stemmed and seeded.

3-4 Cloves Garlic, peeled

4-5 Stalks Green Onion

1/4-1/2 Cup Cilantro

Juice from 1 Lime

1/4- Cup Olive Oil

1/4- Cup Red Wine Vinegar

Salt and Pepper

1. Place Black-eye’s in a colander or sieve and rinse thoroughly. Sort through the beans, check for any debris or dirt and discard. Place rinsed beans in a large soup pot and cover with at least 2″ of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for about 2 hrs. Check the tenderness periodically toward the end of the cooking time. When they have cooked through but are still hold their shape, remove from the heat and drain off excess water. Pour the beans into a large mixing bowl to cool off.

2. While the beans are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Cut the fresh corn off the cob and dice the tomato, onion, and green pepper into 1/4″ pieces.

3. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, green onion, cilantro, jalapeno, oil and vinegar. Puree mixture for 1-2 minutes.

4. Place chopped vegetables into container with beans. Pour dressing over the top and stir entire mixture to combine. Place in fridgerator for at least 1 hour (the longer the better) before serving to allow time for the flavors to meld.

5. Serve cold with tortilla chips for dipping.

This also makes an excellent side dish for any meal, and is great in a quesadilla or taco too!

Yes.

That is bacon.

Go ahead, drool a little.

OK, now that I have your attention…

I am always searching for creative new ways to show how beans can be incorporated into a variety of meals. While preparing for a backyard grill-out this weekend, I decided to use our beans in as many dishes as possible. Baked beans and a cold bean salad were obvious answers… but how about something a little more original? Then it hit me… Mac n’ Beans.

2lbs. of cheese, crispy bacon, and some carmelized onions? Sounds like your Memorial Day BBQ just got a little more interesting.

One of the great things about using beans as a protein substitute in a dish is that you get all the “good” stuff (protein, fiber, ripped abs) without all the “bad” stuff (fat, cholesterol, pot bellies). Now with all this butter, cheese and bacon, I’m not going to pass this Mac n’ Beans off as healthy… but it has half the noodles as normal (less carbs), and the beans add much healthier protein than say, a 1lbs. of ground beef would… so that totally justifies it. Right?

What you need:

1-Package Hurst’s HamBeen’s® Great Northerns

1lbs. Grated Cheddar Cheese

1lbs. Grated Gruyere or Swiss Cheese

5- Cups Milk (at least 2%)

4-Cups Cooked Pasta (any kind)

1/2-1 Cup Shredded Onion

6-tbsp. Butter

1/2-Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2- tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1lbs.- Center Cut Smoked Bacon

Like Michael Scott, I too love the smell of bacon in the morning...

1. Alright, first things first… I HIGHLY recommend you immediately get that bacon cut into 1/4″ pieces and into the frying pan. Because a home that doesn’t smell of bacon, isn’t really a home at all.

2. Rinse the Northern beans with cold water for several minutes, removing any small debris or dirt that may be present.

3. In a large soup pot, cover the beans with at least 2″ of water and bring to a rolling boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat and simmer the beans for 1.5-2 hours. Begin to check the tenderness of the beans at that point and remove when almost completely cooked through, but not falling apart.

4. Drain off the excess water and add 4-5 cups of the cooked beans along with the cooked pasta into a large baking dish. Fold to combine.

5. While the beans are cooking, begin the cheese sauce. The first step is to make a roux. In a large stock pot, melt the 6 tbsp. butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the 1/2 cup of flour. A thick paste should form and begin to bubble slightly after a few minutes. Continue to whisk for at least 5-10 minutes until the mixture begins to become more golden in color.

6. When the roux is ready, begin to add in the milk one cup at a time while continually whisking the mixture. After several minutes, the sauce (consider a Béchamel at this point) will begin to thicken. It won’t reach it’s full thickness until the sauce heats to a boil. Continue to stir, and just as you see it begin to bubble remove from the heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes. (This will help prevent the cheese from separating in the next step, which can happen if added at too high of a temperature.)

7. Whisk in the cayenne pepper. Start adding the shredded cheese one handfull at a time. Once melted, continue with the next batch until all the cheese is added and you have a thick, creamy sauce.

8. Whisk in Hurst’s smokey Ham Flavor until fully incorporated into the sauce.

9. Preheat the oven to 375°. Pour the cheese sauce over the Mac n’ Bean’s and fold to incorporate sauce throughout the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 40-50 minutes (or until entire mixture is bubbling). Then remove the foil and turn the oven to broil. This will produce a delicious golden-brown top on the dish. Be sure to watch while broiling, as it is easy to burn at such intense heat.

10. While the the Mac n’ Beans is baking, use a small amount of the leftover bacon drippings (or 1 tbsp. butter) to cook the shredded onion over medium heat. After several minutes (at least 10), they will begin to caramelize and develop a delicious sweet flavor. Set aside for topping.

11. Allow the Mac n’ Beans to cool for several minutes before serving (helps to thicken the dish as well as prevent impulsive burnt-roof-of-the-mouth eating).

12. Top each serving with a generous potion of bacon and caramelized onion. This can be served as a standalone entrée or (like I will this weekend) as an incredible addition to a plate full of Smoked BBQ Pork.

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Late last week, I still had a large portion of ham left from Easter lunch. Around here that usually means one (very delicious) thing: some homemade Ham and Beans. Check out this take on one of our most traditional and economical soup recipes.

There are multiple stories as to where Senate Bean Soup got it’s name. Some say the tradition began early in the 20th-century at the request of Idahoan Senator Fred Dubois.  Others argue it originated with Senator Knute Nelson (MN), who expressed his fondness for the soup in 1903. Either way, the soup has and always will be a daily fixture on the Senate Restaurant menu.

This recipe is adapted from one I found in the great bean cookbook from Rancho Gordo. Essentially, the recipe follows the traditional way to cook ham with beans and therefor has become a staple at post-Easter dinner tables. (Here, here, and here for just a few other recent examples).

What you need:

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

1-lbs. Diced Ham

1- Cup Diced Onion

1- Cup Diced Celery

2-3 Cloves Minced Garlic

1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley

1-2 Bay Leaves

Salt and Pepper to taste

*Optional (but highly recommended)

Jalapeno Corn Bread

1. Rinse the dried Navy beans under cold water. Check for any debris or stones that may be present and discard.

2. Prepare the vegetables. Cut the onion and celery into 1/4″ pieces and give the parsley a rough chop. Crush the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and discard the peel.

3. Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil. Over med-high heat, sauté the onion and celery until they become slightly translucent. Add the diced ham and sauté for another 4-5 minutes. Add the crushed garlic during the last 2-3 minutes.

4. Add 8 cups of water, rinsed beans, and bay leaf. Bring mixture to a rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 2 hours.

5. After 2 hours, the beans should be almost cooked through (if not, continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes). Remove the lid and stir in Hurst’s bean soup seasoning packet and the fresh parsley. Simmer for an additional 1/2 hour and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve hot, garnished with a sprig of parsley and some warm corn bread (go ahead and dunk!).

Whenever I spot a bean dish on the menu at a restaurant, I am instantly drawn to taste it. Whether it’s to sample something new and intriguing, or to compare recipes and flavors, I always like to get some knowledge of how beans are cooked outside of my kitchen. Recent visits to two national chain “Italian” restaurants made me realize that a lot of times, you really don’t get what you pay for… especially when it comes to Pasta Fagioli.

The beans were mushy. The pasta fell apart. The seasoning was weak. Three strikes in a row (at both restaurants) made me head straight for the kitchen to prepare some decent “pasta and beans”.

Traditional Pasta Fagioli recipes are usually meat free (this dish was originally made by peasants as a low cost meal), but I had some bulk spicy sausage in the fridge and thought it would make an excellent addition to this delicious Italian soup.

What you need:

1- Package Hurst’s® Pasta Fagioli

1lbs.- Spicy Italian Sausage

1- Cup Carrot (diced or julienne)

1- Cup Diced Onion

1- Cup Diced Celery

1- Cup Diced Zucchini

3-4 Cloves Chopped Garlic

1- Can Diced Tomato

1- Can Tomato Sauce

1- Hand full Fresh Basil

1. Place the beans and pasta in a colander, rinse with cold water. Check for any small debris or unsightly beans and discard. Then in a large soup pot, bring 10-12 cups of water to a rolling boil and pour in beans and pasta. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for roughly 60-70 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

2. While the beans cook, prepare the fresh vegetables. Julienne the carrot and dice the onion, celery, and zucchini into 1/4″ pieces. Give the garlic cloves a rough chop.

3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground sausage until browned. Use a wooden spoon to break down into bite sized pieces. Drain off most of the excess fat, leaving only enough to saute the vegetables.

4.  Saute the vegetables until they begin to soften and the onions become translucent. Add the garlic in during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Set aside mixture.

5. After 60-70 minutes, the beans should be almost completely tender and the pasta should plump up. Continue to simmer uncovered while adding the other ingredients.

6. Combine all of the ingredients in the pot. Add Hurst’s Italian (Vegetarian) seasoning packet, stir to combine.

7. Bring the soup back to a simmer and allow the flavors to combine for another 15 minutes. If you desire a more brothy soup, add water or a stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef) until desired consistency is reached.

8. Garnish with some freshly chopped basil and grated parmesan cheese. Serve with a slice of crusty, toasted bread. Enjoy!

No meat? We are talking about chili, right?

The number of people turning to a vegetarian diet is growing quickly. It can help promote weight loss, lower cholesterol, and reduce the risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis… but who cares about all that if it doesn’t taste good?

It’s said that traditional chili absolutely does not contain beans. Well, throw that idea out the window because in this recipe, legumes will be our only protein. To many chili lovers that might be sacrilege, but one taste of this smokey and spicy goodness and even the most passionate meat eaters will come back for seconds.

What you need:

• 1- Package Hurst HamBeens® 15 Bean Chili

• 1-Each of green, red, and yellow peppers
• 1- Medium onion diced
• 3-4 Whole cloves fresh garlic
• 2- Cans diced tomato w/ green chili
• 1- Can stewed tomato
• 1- Can sweet corn
• 1- Can chipotle peppers in sauce
• 1- Can tomato paste
• Zest from 1 lime

1. Rinse and sort through the dry beans. Check for any pebbles or unwanted debris and discard. Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with 2-3″ of water. Soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.  Use a colander or sieve and strain the excess water from the beans. They should have become plump and slightly soft to the touch. Pour the beans into a large soup pot with 10 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 hours.

2. While waiting for the beans to cook, prepare the vegetables. Dice the onion and peppers into bite size pieces (about 1/4″). Also remove the skin from the garlic by smashing the cloves individually.

3. In a large pan over med-high heat, saute the mixture in olive oil until the onions become translucent and the peppers begin to soften. Remove from the heat and set aside until beans have finished cooking.

4. After 2 hours, the beans should be almost completely tender.

Add: Tomato (drained), corn (drained), 1/2 the can of chipotle peppers (roughly chopped with sauce), 3-4 cloves garlic (smashed),  the onion/ pepper mixture, and Hurst’s Chili seasoning packet.

Stir to combine and let simmer uncovered for another 15-20 minutes.

5. Stir in tablespoons of tomato paste to simmering chili until desired thickness is reached. A few minutes before serving, add the zest from 1 lime.

6. A little warm cornbread and a dollop of sour cream… ENJOY!

For more great vegetarian recipes: http://myveggiekitchen.blogspot.com/