Recipe: Borlotti Beans, Porcini & Courgette

Hi all, so times are scary and people are anxious and many of you are stuck at home, or about to be stuck at home – likely with a LOT of cans of beans, bags of dry pulses, pasta etc and wondering how you are going to make them interesting for the next two weeks!

So in the hope of providing some tasty suggestions – and to force myself to be more creative with these staple foods, this is the first of a series of “Corona-recipes” – which of course can be useful ANY time for batch cooking! They will be filling, wholesome, relatively simple to prepare, and, barring a few exceptions, vegan / vegetarian so that they are easy for most to eat.

First up is something fun with borlotti beans, those incredibly tasty pretty Italian beans that are super plump and yummy and nutty.

BORLOTTI BEANS, PORCINI MUSHROOMS & COURGETTE (vegan / veggie)

You will need: (for 2 people):

• 1 can borlotti beans or 200g soaked beans
• 1 large courgette / zucchini
• 1 large onion or 2-3 small shallots
• Handful of dried porcini
• A sprig of rosemary or 4-5 large sage leaves chopped
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tsp bouillon like Maggi or a veggie stock cube – prepare as per instructions on pack
• Salt & Pepper & Olive Oil

Optional – pearl barley

To make:

Cover your porcini with 150 mls boiling water and leave to one side whilst you prep your veggies.

Chop the onions and garlic finely, add a tables

poon of olive oil to a saucepan and sweat the onions and garlic down with your rosemary sprig or safe on a gentle heat until soft. 

Chop your courgette into cubes and add to the onions, cook for 5-6 minutes on a slightly higher heat. Season generously with salt and pepper.

Add the drained borlotti beans, stir well then add the porcini and their soaking water. Top up with a cup of the stock.

Bring to the boil then turn heat down and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes. If you want to thicken the soup or make it more substantial you can add a handful or two of pearl barley to the mix.

Check the seasoning and adjust to taste.

Serve with crusty bread and butter, and if you want a shaving of parmesan on the top (or vegan alternatives)!