Stewed Beans (Red Sauce)
1993, Agios Georgios Sylikou. I sit at the round wooden table that Uncle Panayiotis made with his own hands and enjoy, under the shade of the huge walnut tree, the wonderful stewed beans prepared in the oven by my beloved Aunt Andriana. Aunt Andriana is my father's sister who lived in England for years, and every time she came to Cyprus, she became my culinary refuge. She always served us the beans with freshly baked sourdough bread, olives, onion, and tsarteloui (cured sardine). And on the table, there was never a lack of wine, one glass for my uncle and one for me. To clink our glasses and wish each other good health.
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INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups (450g) beans
- 1 ½ cups (260g) potatoes cut into cubes
- 1 ½ cups (200g) carrots cut into cubes
- 1 ½ cups (180g) celery stalks (selleria) cut into thick slices
- ⅓ cup (85ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (100g) finely chopped onion
- 2 well-filled tablespoons (70g) tomato paste
- 2 ½ liters (10 cups) hot water
- 1 ½ teaspoons (12g) salt
- ½ teaspoon (1g) freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
- The day before, place the beans in a large glass bowl and cover them with plenty of cold tap water, about 2-3 cm above their surface. We don't want the beans to be uncovered by water, otherwise, they won't soak properly and won't cook well. Let them soak for 12 - 24 hours.
- The next day, drain them, rinse them, strain them, and put them in a pot. Add plenty of tap water to cover them by about 2 fingers' width and place them on the heat.
- When the water boils vigorously, let them boil for 10-15 minutes and then drain them. Return them to the pot and add 6 cups of hot water, then boil for 35 minutes. Skim off the foam that forms on the surface from time to time.
- Meanwhile, pour the olive oil into a frying pan, and when it heats up, sauté the onion for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery stalks, and continue sautéing for another 3 - 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and rub it on the bottom of the pan to bring out its aromas. Add the sautéed vegetables to the pot with the beans.
- Pour in the remaining 4 cups of hot water and boil for another 20 - 25 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the salt and pepper and boil for another 10 minutes. Serve drizzled with a little olive oil.
