This week, we were asked by Slow Food Sacramento to create a recipe using Elegant Beans' Jacob's Cattle Beans. Jacob's Cattle Beans are an heirloom variety and a part of Ark of Taste, which serves as a living catalog of foods facing extinction. We had a blast creating this recipe (and eating it), and we hope you try it out, too! These beans were remarkably easy to cook with and have a nutty, rich flavor that pairs perfectly with bacon and sage (but, to be fair, what doesn't?).
Jacob's Cattle Beans with Bacon & Sage
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Jacob's Cattle Beans
2 large yellow onions
4 cloves garlic
5 pieces thick-cut bacon
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. red chili flakes
1 tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste
Instructions:
Soak the beans overnight with enough water to cover them by 1 inch. After soaking, bring beans to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the beans begin to soften. While the beans simmer, cut your bacon into chunks and cook in a large skillet. Remove bacon when finished. Chop onions and sauté in the same skillet used to cook bacon. Peel and chop garlic and add to onions. Cook until caramelized, on low heat, stirring slowly to ensure the onions and garlic don't burn. Add 1/8 cup chopped sage. Chop celery and carrots and set aside.
Once the beans have simmered for 30 minutes and the bacon and onions are done, add the bacon, onions, garlic, and chopped vegetables to the pot with the beans. Make sure there is enough liquid to just cover the top - it's fine to add a little more.
Partially cover with the lid and set on a low simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to keep from sticking. Cook until liquid thickens and flavors come together. Serve with remaining fresh sage sprinkled on top, and salt to taste. Enjoy!
For more about Jacob's Cattle Beans, click here!
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