I will admit that I have fallen in love more than a few times in my life. Most recently, I fell hard for what I know will be a lifelong love, full of passion and tenderness; gigante beans. While picking out a few tidbits at the antipasto bar at Whole Foods, a mound of shiny, pale beans flecked with red and green caught my eye. I'm not sure what it was about those beans, call it fate, call it hunger, but they beckoned to me. So tempting, I almost ate them out of the container with my fingers in the parking lot. Patience prevailed. At home and in my kitchen, a spoonful later, I was hooked.
Gigante beans are like lima beans on steroids. Large, plump and meaty, and yet mild and creamy at the same time. It's a legume-lover's dream bean. I won't try to woo you with the bevy of health benefits; protein, fiber, vitamins. Sure, the list is long, but for me, this bean is purely to savor and enjoy. And it's versatile. Recently, while scanning the menu at a local Greek restaurant, I nearly leapt out of my seat with joy. Right there, under the appetizer section, I saw my lovely beans in a new light; Gigantes Plaki, or Greek Roasted Beans in Tomato Sauce. When our waitress placed the steaming dish in front of me, I felt woozy with the scent of garlic and tomatoes. Bodacious…almost bawdy, these beans belonged in that spicy, thick tomato sauce. And we belonged together. Forever.
Note: I ordered my beans online as my local store did not carry the dried version.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Drain and rinse the beans. Place in a large pot of well-salted water with the kombu. Bring to a simmer and gently boil for about an hour or until they are soft but not mushy.
While the beans are cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add onions and about a teaspoon of salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add garlic and cook for another few minutes until garlic is aromatic.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste and about ¼ cup olive oil. Let everything simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Add a few spoonfuls of bean cooking water if it looks dry.
When the beans are done, drain them and put them back into the pot. Add the tomato sauce and mix together to coat the beans. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Drizzle a little more oil on top and bake for about 45 minutes until beans are tender. Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Drain and rinse the beans. Place in a large pot of well-salted water with the kombu. Bring to a simmer and gently boil for about an hour or until they are soft but not mushy.
While the beans are cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add onions and about a teaspoon of salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add garlic and cook for another few minutes until garlic is aromatic.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste and about ¼ cup olive oil. Let everything simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Add a few spoonfuls of bean cooking water if it looks dry.
When the beans are done, drain them and put them back into the pot. Add the tomato sauce and mix together to coat the beans. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Drizzle a little more oil on top and bake for about 45 minutes until beans are tender. Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve.
