Bean stew Toulouse

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 225 g beans (white, dried), soaked overnight
• 225 g bacon (smoked belly bacon), preferably lean, in one piece
• 1 m.-sized vegetable onion(s), quartered
• 1 clove(s) garlic, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme (dried)
• 25 g butter
• Salt and pepper, black from the mill
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 m.-sized sausages
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 12 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours 45 minutes; Total time approx. 15 hours 15 minutes

warms you up in winter

Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large saucepan with the bacon, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and 15g butter. Season with black pepper. Cover the ingredients with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 150°C fan/gas mark 3. Drain the beans through a colander, reserving the liquid. Remove the bacon and cut into 2.5cm cubes. Heat the remaining butter and oil in a pan and fry the sausages over low heat for 10 minutes until browned, turning frequently. Remove and keep warm. Add the bacon cubes to the pan and brown for 4-5 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. Empty the contents of the colander into a large, lidded ovenproof casserole dish. Add the sausages and bacon. Mix about 600ml of the reserved cooking liquid with the tomato puree. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in the oven for 2 hours, until the beans are tender. Season to taste and serve in the casserole dish. Serve with boiled potatoes or baguette. This dish tastes best in the cold winter. Don’t count the calories.