Eating Locally

Second week of the Dark Days Challenge. I’m rationing my beans – I grew shell beans as an experiment this year, and was pretty successful. I have 3 quart jars, each ½ full of colorful beans – that’s why I’m rationing them: there’s only a precious few. Next year I’ll plant more for sure! California Etna beans are white with pink spots – beautiful in the jar. They cook up to be a light pink, and taste substantial. I was able to pull a couple carrots which are still surviving in the soil, even after our week of snow and freezing weather. Many of the potatoes froze and we turned them into compost, but there are a few left.

Menu
Bean soup (recipe below)
Grilled cheese sandwich with Old Mill 100% whole wheat bread (Arlington), and Creamery Farmstad cheese (Bow)
Salad sprouts (grown at home)


Bean Soup
1 ½ cups dried beans, soaked overnight in water to cover
1 Tablespoon oil
½ onion, chopped (Washington st.)
3-4 cloves garlic (our garden)
1-2 carrots, chopped into ½ inch dice, about 1 cup (our garden)
1 large, 2 medium potatoes, chopped into ½ inch dice, about 1 cup (our garden)
Water
1 28 oz can fire roasted whole tomatoes (Muir Glen, Sedro Woolley)
½ cup chopped fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme, from my yard)
salt & pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot on medium heat, and add the onion and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes and carrots, cook about 5 more minutes, stirring frequently. Drain the beans from the soaking water and add them, the can of tomatoes and the herbs to the pot. Add water until everything is just covered. Increase the temperature to medium high, and bring to a boil. Turn the temperature down to low, put the lid on, and simmer 1 to 1 ½ hours. The length of time will depend on how old and dry your beans are. You’ll have to just keep testing until they are done. You can test them by smashing them with the back of a spoon against the side of the pot. When they are very soft they are done.