My cooking seems to go through “periods”. I had my High Mexican period, my Italian phase, my Hippy Love Child has never quite left but now I seem to be in super simple mode. I keep wanting to strip things down to see how basic they can be, which might be a reaction to the news or popular culture. Books like Cucina Povera and An Everlasting Meal are certainly inspiration. My hunch is that becoming a better cook and making better friends with good ingredients are the main reason and I apologize in advance if that sounds a little pretentious.
This was a favorite dish this week.
I cooked the Royal Coronas with just a little salt and a bay leaf.
In my mortar, I smashed half a clove of garlic with some salt to make a paste. You could use more garlic but you might want to roast it first and plan on spending a lot of time alone. Then I added chopped parsely and sage (3:1 ratio) and then drizzled in enough olive oil to make a sauce. A spoonful of lemon juice was the kicker.
I drizzled the sauce over the cooked beans. The beans were big and creamy and the sauce was sharp and intense and I thought it was good enough to do again and again.
Thanks for another simple recipe. Keep ’em coming.
Your less is more approach isn’t a bit pretentious as far as I’m concerned. I’ve always had a tendency to keep gilding the lily when I’m cooking, and have ruined quite a few dishes by just adding that one more ‘perfect’ ingredient.
Rancho Gordo beans are so good all on their own that they really benefit from a light touch which I’ve been working on lately. I bought a copy of Cucina Povera upon your recommendation and love it. I highly recommend it, and just ordered a copy of An Everlasting Meal to keep it company.
Thanks. I’m flattered and feel very powerful at the same time!
Please feel free to share your simple discoveries as well, here or on our Facebook page if that’s easier.
Thanks!
Sounds yummy! Thanks for another easy vegan recipe.