Spicy Bacon and Cannellini Bean Rice

My husband Howard always used to ask me why we didn’t buy dried beans. I would look at him and roll my eyes. To me they were to much of a hassle. Due to the situation we have just been through, I think, the only way for me to get beans at the beginning was to buy dried. Therefore I eventually started using dried beans instead of tinned. They are a little bit more effort but the meals I make with these are well worth it. There are many benefits to eating dried beans over tinned.

Firstly they are cheaper than tinned beans. Plus if you live in a country where they live to add salt to every tinned product then you will be getting less sodium in your diet. I’m not saying that salt is a bad food but to much is not good either. Many people also believe that the flavour and texture is different in dried beans to tinned. The dried beans have not been keep in a tin and they have been cooked fresh to order. Which could, I think, improve the flavour and texture. We are now enjoying dried beans so much more than tinned and in this dish they taste amazing.

Have you ever tried dried beans and if so, in what meals? Let me know in the comments below and please don’t forget to like and follow me?

Equipment

• Bowl
• Colander
• Large saucepans x
• Sharp Knife
• Chopping board
• Frying pan
• Stirring spoon
• Teaspoon
• Tablespoon

Ingredients

• Dried cannellini beans x 300g or 2 400g tins
• Leek x 1
• Bacon x 8 rashers
• Tomatoes x 1 400g tin
• Chicken stock x 400mls
• Red pepper x 1
• Courgette x 1
• Tomato puree x 1 tbsp
• Tamari x 1 tbsp
• Mild, medium or hot chilli powder x 1 tsp
• Ground ginger x 1 tsp
• Ground cinnamon x 1 tsp
• Dried oregano x 1 tsp
• Kale or spinach x 1 handful
• Coriander x 1 handful
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil for the pan

Method

• Measure the dried cannellini beans into the bowl.
• Cover the beans in water and a couple of centimetres above the beans.
• Put the beans in water into the fridge overnight.
• The next day pour the beans through the colander and rinse well.
• Place a large pan onto a high heat and pour the water over the beans.
• Make sure there is about 2 inches of water above the beans.
• Bring to the boil and leave to simmer until the beans are cooked.
• They should take around 30 – 40 minutes to cook.
• Once they are soft remove from the heat and strain through the colander then set aside.
• Wash the rice through the colander twice and set aside.
• Remove the tops and the tails from the leek and then slice.
• Peel and grate the courgette.
• Cut the top from the red pepper and remove the core and stalk.
• Slice and dice the flesh of the pepper.
• Now slice the 8 rashers of bacon and set these ingredients aside.
• Put the frying pan onto a high heat on the hob and and the oil to the base of pan.
• When the pan is hot add in the leeks and fry until they start to soften.
• Add in the bacon and fry until it the fat turns golden brown.
• Now add in the pepper and fry for a further few minutes.
• Next add in the courgette and fry again for a further few minutes.
• Now add in the rice and fry for a minute or until the rice becomes see through/clear.
• Pour in the tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.
• Sprinkle over the mild, medium or hot chilli powder, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and dried oregano.
• Add in the tomato puree and tamari and stir these ingredients together.
• When the pan is boiling turn the heat down to low and leave it to simmer.
• Leave it until all the liquid has been absorbed into the rice.
• You may need to help the liquid be absorbed by turning the heat back up and stirring the ingredients until you can see the base of the pan when you move the spoon around.
• Remove from the heat and add in the cooked cannellini beans.
• Chop up the coriander and either the kale or spinach.
• Mix these ingredients into the rice until the start to wilt.
• Once everything is well mixed together serve and enjoy.

Spicy Bacon and Cannellini Bean Rice was delicious and I have to be honest my husband Howard and son Ted enjoyed this dish too. There was bacon in it so that’s probably why. They are huge fans of bacon so I secretly new they would eat everything on their plate. Unfortunately, the dish is not freezable but it’s a great dish to have as leftovers the next day. It would also make a brilliant packed lunch to take with you to work or school too. However you decide to eat this dish, as always, please enjoy. Thank you xxx