Blue Runner Red Bean & Corn Succotash

Frank Brigtsen – Brigtsen’s Restaurant

Yield: 15 portions as a side dish (10 ½ cups)

CHEF’S NOTES: This colorful and flavorful vegetable succotash is good year-round as a side dish or sprinkled on salads. It gets better as it marinates in the refrigerator and can be served warm, cold, or room temperature.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Blue Runner red kidney beans, washed

10 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

1 bay leaf

6 ears fresh corn, shucked

½ cup rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon granulated garlic

¼ teaspoon Tabasco pepper sauce

1 teaspoon soy sauce

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup finely diced red onion

½ cup finely diced green bell pepper

½ cup finely diced red bell pepper

1 cup thinly sliced green onions

• Cook the red beans: In a pot, add the red beans, water, 2 teaspoons of salt, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook the beans on a low boil until tender, but firm (al dente). Strain the beans and refrigerate until fully chilled.
• Cook the corn: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and cook until the corn kernels are tender, 3-5 minutes. Remove the corn and refrigerate until fully chilled. Cut the corn off the cobs and set aside.
• Make a vinaigrette: In a mixing bowl, add the rice vinegar, honey, mustard, ¾ teaspoon of salt, granulated garlic, Tabasco, and soy sauce. Whisk until well blended. Slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until thoroughly incorporated. Set aside.
• To make the succotash: In a large mixing bowl, add the red beans, corn, red onion, bell peppers, and green onions. Mix until well blended. Add the vinaigrette dressing and mix until well blended. Transfer to covered containers and refrigerate.

Vegetarian White Bean Soup with Corn Tortillas

Frank Brigtsen – Brigtsen’s Restaurant

Yield: 10 cups

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3 cups diced onions

2 cups diced celery

1 cup diced green bell pepper

¾ cup diced Poblano pepper

4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

3 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon whole-leaf dried thyme

2 teaspoons dried whole-leaf oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup finely diced canned tomato

8 cups water

1 lb. Blue Runner navy beans, washed

4 teaspoons fresh lime juice

one 13.5-ounce can coconut milk

1 cup vegetable oil (for frying the tortillas)

4 each fresh corn tortillas

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, and Poblano pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown, 10-12 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, thyme, oregano, and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
4. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the navy beans. Cook, covered, for 1 hour.
5. Remove the lid. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth has a gravy-like consistency, about 1 hour.
6. Add the lime juice and coconut milk.
7. Fry the tortillas: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is frying temperature (350°), fry the tortillas, one at a time, until brown and very crispy., about 1 ½ minutes on each side. Transfer the fried tortillas to a pan lined with paper towels to drain.
8. In a food processor, add 1 cup of the navy bean soup. Crumble the fried tortillas into the food processor with your hands. Purée the mixture to form a paste. Fold the tortilla paste into the soup and bring the soup back to a boil.
9. Optional garnishes: fried julienne tortilla strips, thinly sliced green onions, pickled banana pepper rings.

New Orleans Red Beans

Frank Brigtsen – Brigtsen’s Restaurant

Yield: 8 servings as a main course (11 cups)

Cooking time: 3-3½ hours

CHEF’S NOTES: In this recipe, the first steps are the most important. Browning the meats, and letting them stick to the bottom of the pot, creates a foundation of flavor. When you add the onions, celery, and bell pepper, these aromatic vegetables will give off enough juice to deglaze the bottom of the pot, creating an intensely flavored broth in which to cook the beans.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons mild olive oil

2 cups ham or pickled pork, diced into1-inch pieces

2 cups Andouille smoked sausage, sliced into half-rounds, ¼” thick

2 bay leaves

1 cup finely diced green bell pepper

2 cups finely diced celery

3 cups finely diced yellow onion

4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

1 Tablespoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon dried whole-leaf thyme

1 teaspoon dried whole-leaf oregano

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup finely diced canned tomato

8 cups water

1 lb. Blue Runner red kidney beans, washed

4 Tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the ham or pickled pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat begins to brown, 5-6 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage begins to brown, 5-6 minutes.
2. Add the bay leaves, bell pepper, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown, 8-10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low. Add the garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne, thyme, oregano, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add the beans. Cook, covered, for 1 hour.
7. Remove the lid and stir in the parsley. Raise heat to medium-low. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth has a gravy-like consistency, 1-1½ hours. Remove bay leaves and serve with cooked rice.