The Bean-Otto: 4 Ways

The Bean-Otto: 4 Ways

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You will have read in our email that we are currently developing these recipes for our new cookbook. These recipes will sit on a double page spread, and the idea is that they are more concepts or formulas, rather than super detailed recipes. So, we would like you to follow them in this exact format and please provide honest feedback with how you get on!


The Bean-Otto: 4 ways

If you’re not familiar with a bean-otto, it’s our take on a risotto but instead of rice, we use beans! Quicker, easier and much better for you, without compromising on flavour + the indulgence of a regular risotto.

Each recipe serves 2, generously

 

THE BEAN-OTTO BASE

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil (with a nob of butter if you have it) in a large pan over a low heat. Add 1 onion, finely chopped, and 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped with a pinch of salt and cook gently for about 10-15 minutes until softened but not coloured. Turn up the heat and add 1 250ml glass of dry wine, let it bubble away until only a little amount (a couple of tablespoons) is left in the onion mixture. At this point, add your jar of white beans, with their bean stock into the mixture and warm through. Your beanotto base is ready, just choose your flavour combo’s and you’re good to go!




Bean-otto

Extra ingredients

Steps

Chorizo + Cherry Tomato

1 tin of cherry tomatoes, drained

75g cooking chorizo, diced and cooked until crisp (you could do this before cooking the bean-otto base)

1 large rosemary sprig, leaves roughly chopped

½ lemon, zested

½-1 tsp chilli flakes (however hot you like it!)

Chopped parsley to serve (optional)

1.Add your cooked chorizo, rosemary leaves, lemon zest, chilli flakes and cherry tomatoes

2.Cook for 4-5 minutes until piping hot. Finish with parsley and the “final touch”

Creamy Courgette

2 courgettes, 1 sliced into 1cm thick rounds, the other coarsely grated

½ lemon zest

1 heaped tbsp creme fraiche

25g parmesan

15g fresh parsley

Handful of fresh basil leaves

Toasted pine nuts, to serve

1.You can even skip the base for this and crack on with cooking the sliced courgettes in a pan with 2 tbsp olive oil over a medium heat for 7-8 minutes until starting to soften and colour.

2.Add grated courgette, garlic + lemon zest. Cook for 2 mins.

2.Stir in the beans and their bean stock, bubble away for 2 mins.

3.Reduce heat to low. Stir in creme fraiche, parmesan, herbs and season with cracked black pepper, salt + lemon juice to taste. Mix everything well to combine and cook on a low heat for a further minute.

4.Serve into bowls, topped with toasted pine nuts, more parmesan + a drizzle of olive oil.

Beetroot + Goats cheese

4 cooked beets (250g), with their juice, diced into 2cm chunks

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped

150g soft goats cheese 

1 handful beetroot crisps, toasted hazelnuts or walnuts (optional)

1. Blend half of the beetroot with a splash of their juice into a smooth puree. Add this + the chopped beets to the beans, along with the tyme. Stir to combine. Season to taste.

3.Finish with blobs of goats cheese, parmesan + toasted nuts, if you like.

Butternut Squash + Sage

1 butternut squash (roughly 1kg), cooked. Half chopped into chunks, half mashed or blended into a puree.
1 small bunch of sage, leaves picked, half roughly chopped, half left whole




  1. Add the chopped sage and let it cook in the bean mixture for a few minutes. Then add the cooked squash. Depending on whether you seasoned the squash before cooking, your beanotto may need a generous pinch of salt at this point. Stir until it’s come together and the mashed squash has become part of the bean mixture. Keep on a low heat for 5 minutes until warmed through. 
  2. While this is warming through, gently fry the whole sage leaves in a little olive oil until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper. 
  3. When your beanotto is warmed through, do the “final touch” and finish with the crispy sage leaves

THE FINAL TOUCH

1 small nob of butter or 1 tbsp of EVOO 1 tsbp grated parmesan

Fold through the butter and parmesan (or EVOO) to finish!

NOTE: You could sub the white beans for any other small, starchy bean such as black beans, red kidney beans or pinto beans.