Butter Beans with Harissa, Preserved Lemon, and Gremolata Breadcrumbs

Name: Butter Beans with Harissa, Preserved Lemon, and Gremolata Breadcrumbs
Prep time: 8 h
Cook time: 1 h 50 min
Total time: 9 h 50 min
Cuisine: Moroccan, African
Ingredients: 200g dried butter beans; 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced; 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced; 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed; 1 tbsp dried mint; 2 preserved lemons, rind only, finely chopped; A pinch of saffron; 2 tsp harissa; 3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and pureed; 400ml hot vegetable stock; A good drizzle of olive oil; A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped; The zest of 1 lemon; 2 slices of sourdough bread

8 steps

Prep:8hCook:1h 50min

I love the contrast of the creamy interior of the butter beans with the crunch of the gremolata. This is especially good served at brunch with a poached or boiled egg on top and a stack of toast to mop up the delicious sauce.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 11:34:17 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories747.6 kcal (37%)

Total Fat25.9 g (37%)

Carbs107.9 g (41%)

Sugars18.5 g (21%)

Protein28.6 g (57%)

Sodium2250.3 mg (113%)

Fiber25.6 g (91%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

2 servings

200gdried butter beans

1 ½ tspbicarbonate of soda

2 Tbspextra-virgin olive oil

1onion

large, peeled and finely sliced

3garlic cloves

peeled and finely sliced

1 tspcoriander seeds

coarsely crushed

1 Tbspdried mint

2preserved lemons

rind only, finely chopped

saffron

2 tspharissa

3tomatoes

ripe, peeled and pureed

400mlvegetable stock

hot

for the gremolata crumb

peeled and finely chopped

1zest of lemon

2slices of sourdough bread

Instructions

Step 1

Put the butter beans in a large bowl of water, add the bicarbonate of soda and leave to soak overnight.

Step 2

The next day, put the beans in a saucepan and cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil and simmer rapidly for 45 minutes to an hour, until just tender. Drain and set aside.

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof casserole and fry the sliced onion until soft and translucent.

Step 4

Add the garlic and coriander seeds, fry until the garlic is soft and fragrant, then add the dried mint and preserved lemons and fry for another minute.

Step 5

Add the saffron and harissa, fry for two minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook briefly.

Step 6

Pour in the stock and the cooked beans, season to taste and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pan, turn down the heat to low and cook for 45 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the beans are meltingly tender.

Step 7

While the beans are cooking, heat a good drizzle of olive oil in a small frying pan over a low heat. In a food processor, blitz the bread to coarse crumbs, add the garlic, parsley and lemon zest, and blitz briefly to combine. Fry in the hot oil, tossing the crumbs in the pan, until the garlic is fragrant and the bread is crisp.

Step 8

Ladle the beans into two bowls, scatter over the gremolata crumbs and serve.