Pasta and Greens, Sausage and Beans

Pasta and Greens, Sausage and Beans

Pasta and Greens, Sausage and Beans might sound like a carb overload, but after tasting this deceptively simple dish, you won’t care.  Beans and greens are a classic pairing in Italian cucina povera (poor food).  Adding sausage and pasta elevates  the dish some, but not too much. This is comfort food, meant to be easy on your budget and something you can just throw together in a hurry.

Usually this is made with Swiss chard, but I am not a fan. You can use any green you like. Even collards.  You will need to adjust the cooking times depending on the greens you use. The magic of this dish is in the different textures. To this end, do not overcook the pasta and use Parmesan shavings and not the shaker cheese stuff.

 

Servings: 4-6

Time:  Active time: 15 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Dinner in under an hour

Hardware:  a large pot, a colander, measuring cups and spoons, a cutting board and knife, a large skillet with a lid, a plate, tongs, a can opener, a large ladle

 Ingredients

• 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 4 sweet Italian sausage links
• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1-15-ounce can cannelloni (white kidney) beans
• 8 ounces of baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons of shaved Parmesan
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• water
• salt

1.  Wash the spinach.
2. Place links in the skillet and add enough water to cover them.
3. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 -12 minutes.
4. Pour off about half the water and return the skillet to the stove. Cook on medium high, uncovered, until the water evaporates. Continue to cook, turning often until the sausage is browned. Turn off the heat and remove the sausage to the plate. Allow the sausage to rest while you put on the pasta water.
5. Put the pasta onto boil and cook following the package directions. DO NOT overcook. Throw the spinach in during the last 2 minutes of boiling.
6. While the pasta is boiling, slice the sausage into bite sized pieces. Return the sausage, all the juices, the rosemary and the entire contents of can of beans to the skillet over medium low heat. Add 2 ladles of pasta water and the pepper flakes. Bring to a very low simmer. You are just allowing the flavors to meld; you are not cooking anything. Don’t allow this to cook for more than 2 minutes.
7. Add the drained pasta, spinach and Parmesan cheese to the sausage and gently toss everything. Taste and adjust the salt.
8. Serve right away with crusty bread.

Black Bean Burgers

Black Bean Burgers

Every Monday, we go vegetarian. By celebrating Meatless Monday, we are going easy on our wallets and our hearts. I usually just share a no measure recipe on A Bite to Eat’s Facebook page. However, this recipe deserved to be written down.

You could add green peppers, garlic or jalapeños to the burgers with the onions. You can used leftover quinoa or used a pre-cooked pouch. I also think that these would be very kid friendly.

If you skip the rolls, these burgers are high in fiber and protein and have a low glycemic index

I you like these, try the Mushroom Not Burgers. 

Servings: 10 sliders or 5 burgers

Hardware: A can opener, a strainer, cutting board and knives, measuring spoons and cups, a food processor, a silicone spatula, a large bowl, a spatula, a non-stick skillet (I used cast iron)

Time: Active time: 8 minutes; Cook: 10 minutes; Bean burgers in half an hour

Ingredients:

• 1-26 ounce can black beans (I like Bush’s)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 egg
• 1 small onion (4-6 ounces)
• ½ cup unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Olive oil for the bottom of the pan 
• Buns and burger fixings

1.       Rinse and drain the beans

2.       Roughly dice the onions

3.       Add everything to the work bowl of the processor and pulse until the beans are a paste. You should stop a few times to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The beans will become the consistency of Play-Doh or modeling clay.

4.       Heat the oil in the skillet over medium. Form the bean mixture into ½ to ¾ inch patties. Shape the patties to fit the buns you are using.

5.       When the pan is hot, sauté the patties 4-5 minutes on each side. They should have a crispy crust on the outside. Make sure that they are not burning. You may need to coat the pan between batches. You can keep the cooked patties warm on the lowest setting in the oven.

6.       Serve the bean burgers with the same topping you would serve with hamburgers.

Instant Pot Black Beans

Instant Pot Black Beans

I promise that every recipe isn’t going to be in my Instant Pot®. Still, it is so easy to use. So very easy.

We just returned from Las Vegas. We had so much fun. We ate at Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen and Blossom. (We did other stuff, but that stays in Vegas.) But now we are home, my husband has a terrible cold and my students’ Advance Placement Psychology exam is in less than a month. So busy, so tired.

I MacGyvered this from a few pantry items and the veggie drawer. It was so delicious and took no effort.

I didn’t soak the beans before cooking them. Remember the plan here is less effort. Allow the beans to naturally release for at least 10 minutes, they continue to cook. You can find Goya Sazón in the the Hispanic food section at your grocery store. I use the Coriander & Annatto flavors. You can control the heat with the type of Ro-Tel you use. If you do not like spice, chose Ro-Tel mild. Original is spicier than mild. Ro-Tel hot is Very spicy. Of course, that is what I used.

Servings: 6-8

Hardware: A cutting board and knives, measuring spoons and cups, an Instant Pot®, a can opener, a wooden spoon, a silicone oven mitt

Time: Active time: 10 minutes; Cook: 40 minutes; Beans in about an hour

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of dried black beans, rinsed and picked through
• 1 large onion (8 ounces)
• 1 bell pepper (8 ounces)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
• 6 cups veggie stock
• 2 packets Goya Sazón
• Salt
• 4 cups of hot, cooked white rice, diced Spanish onion, cilantro and hot sauce

1. Roughly chop the onions, peppers and garlic. Open the Ro-Tel.
2. Pick over the beans and place them in the Instant Pot. Pour in the veggie stock. Stir in the chopped veggies and tomatoes.
3. Make sure the lid is in the sealing position. Seal and pressure cook on high for 40 minutes. Allow the steam to naturally release for at least 10 minutes. That means that you just leave it alone. After 10 minutes, you can put on the mitt and change the valve to release. Wait until the float drops. Carefully, with the opening facing away, open the lid. Turn the IP off (cancel.) Stir in the Sazón and use the sauté feature to bring the beans back to a boil. Salt to taste. Turn the IP off.
4. Serve right away over rice, garnished with diced onion and a little cilantro. Offer hot sauce to your guests.

Instant Pot® Red Beans and Rice

Instant Pot® Red Beans and Rice

Okay everyone, I have jumped on the Instant Pot® bandwagon. The IP can defrost, sauté, pressure cook, slow cooker, steamer and warming pot. I have only made 4 dishes n it, but I’m pretty sure that I am in love. The Instant Pot® is so easy to use that I already have 2 recipes to share. 

I was worried that the short cooking time would mean that these didn't have the rich flavor that comes from slow cooking. No worries. In fact, I think the flavor was more complex. I also preferred the texture of the beans to those that were boiled for ever. They were completely cooked, but were not falling apart. Instead of being mushy, they were creamy.

You need to know some things before using your Instant Pot®. Find a place to use it that is not under a cabinet or near a wall. The IP releases steam and will warp wood. Also, when a recipe says 9 minutes of cook time (as this one does) that isn’t including the time it takes the pressure to build or the time it takes it to release. The more liquid you have in the pot, the longer it will take to build up pressure and to release it. I have found that it takes about 10 minutes to get going and about 20-25 to wind down. When you are done you can put the lid on the top shelf of the dish washer and the pot on the bottom. Easy cook! Easy clean! No worries!

If you don't have an Instant Pot®, here is my conventional Red Beans and Rice.

Servings: 6

Hardware: A cutting board and knives, measuring spoons and cups, an Instant Pot®, a wooden spoon, a potato masher

Time: Active time: 15 minutes; Cook: 9 minutes; Beans in about an hour (this doesn’t include soak time)

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces red beans, rinsed and soaked
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• ½ pound andouille smoked sausage
• 4 ounces onion (1 cup)
• 1 baby bell pepper-2 ounces- (½ cup)
• 3 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere’s)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock

•  3 cups of hot, cooked white rice, diced green onions and hot sauce

1. Pick over the beans and place them in a large soup pot. Cover them in cold water, place a lid on the pot, and soak them for at least 8 hours or over night.  Drain the beans and discard the soak water. Set the beans aside. You can probably skip this step and just add 5 minutes to the cook time. But I didn’t do that and so can’t really say.
2. Wash the onion, celery, and garlic and roughly chop them.  Remove the seeds and white ribs from the bell pepper and chop it.
3. Cut the smoked sausage into 1-inch coins.
4. Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot on sauté.
5. Add the onion, garlic, celery and green pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir and allow the onions, etc to sweat for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add everything else to the pot. Close and pressure cook on high for 9 minutes. Allow the steam to naturally release. That means that you just leave it alone until the metal float falls.
7. Remove the bay leaves and use the potato masher to mash up some of them. Serve over rice. Offer your guests green onions and hot sauce for garnish