Feast On This, Tasty Recipes For "Lucky Beans"

It seems that St. Patrick’s Day is the only real celebration most people think of when it comes to the month of March. Being of one half Italian heritage, another important day in March is The Feast of St. Joseph. St. Joseph is known as the the patron saint of the worker and the poor throughout Italy, and the fava bean, or broad bean, has the story of being the savior of a nation, that of Sicily. Yes, Sicily is part of Italy, but that debate will not be waged in this article.

As the story goes, there had been a horrible drought in Sicily. All of the crops died. The fields looked like deserts in a sea of dust. After much praying to St. Joseph, there was one crop that survived and indeed thrived. It was the fava bean, which is why it is now commonly called “the lucky bean.” An added bonus is the nutritional value. They are very low on the Glycemic Index, and in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Favas are also a good source of fiber, protein, phosphorus, copper and manganese, and a good source of folate.

Below are two recipes for traditional dishes that can most certainly be eaten at any time of the year, but are particularly appropriate as part of a meal on this day of celebration.

Fava Beans

serves 4-6

2 pounds/900g fresh fave beans

1 bunch green scallions

1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup/225ml)

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon/15ml fresh mint leaves, chopped

zest of one lemon

handful chopped parsley

1/4 cup/60ml olive oil, divided

2 ounces/60g pecorino romano, shaved or grated

1/2 teaspoon/2ml sea salt

1/4 teaspoon/1ml black pepper

Remove the top and tail if using fresh beans. Pop the beans out and boil for 5-10 minutes. They will look wrinkled and grey. Squeeze them to remove the wrinkled skin. The beans will be bright green. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the oil to the pan. Sauté scallions, onion, and garlic with the bay leaves until the onions are soft (about 4 minutes). Add beans and cook for another 4-5 minutes or the beans are soft. Remove the mixture to a bowl, removing the bay leaves. Add the lemon zest, parsley, mint, remaining oil, and cheese. Toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. This can be served as a first course or over rice or pasta.

This next one is a variation of Pino Correnti’s and has its roots from the celebrations of the Spring Equinox, using only dried beans “in the expectations of the new harvest to come.”

Maccu di San ‘Giuseppi (St. Joseph’s Bean Soup)

Serves 4-6

2 quarts/2 liters water

5 ounces/145g dry fava beans

4 ounces/115g dried peas

3 ounces/85g navy beans

2 ounces/60g garbanzo beans

2 ounces/60g lentils

1 onion, diced

1 pound/450g fresh spinach

1 tablespoon/15ml fennel seeds

fronds from one bulb of fennel

1 ounce/30g sundried tomato, chopped

10 cured olives (optional)

1/2 teaspoon/2ml sea salt

1/2 teaspoon/2ml red pepper flakes

1/4 cup/60ml olive oil to drizzle

croutons

Soak all of the legumes except the lentils overnight in a large pot of water. Drain and rinse. Add all of the soaked beans to a large pot along with the onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and to a simmer for 1 hour. Add lentils, spinach, fennel seed, frond, tomato, and olive. Simmer for another 30 minutes or beans are all tender. Serve topped with croutons and drizzled with olive oil.

personal chefs and event catering

Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach

www.yadachef.com

info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)

16 Best Benefits Of Corn (Bhutta) For Skin, Hair And Health

Corn, also known as maize or our good old ( Bhutta/Makkai/Challi ) in Hindi, ‘ Mokka Jonnalu ‘ in Telugu, ‘ Makkacholam ‘ in Tamil, ‘ Cholam ‘ in Malayalam, ‘ Musukina Jol a’ in Kannada, ‘ Makkai ‘ in Gujarati, ‘ Makai ‘ in Marathi and Punjabi and ‘ Butta ‘ in Bengali. Corn is a large grain plant which is said to have originated in Mexico and Central America. Though viewed as a vegetable, it is actually a food grain. The leafy stalk of the plant produces ears, which contain the grains known as kernels. For every kernel on the cob, there is a strand of silk. The white and yellow kernels are most popular, but today, corn is available in red, brown, blue and purple also. The white and yellow hybrids are known as butter and sugar corn which contain both kinds of kernels. This cereal is known for its pleasant taste and its versatility. Baby corn is available in cans or jars in the supermarkets and is used in Asian cooking. This grain is generally available in summer and can be

Maine's Seaweed Farmers Are Already Having a Record-Setting Year

Lobster fishers have been steadily increasing hauls of this kelp crops in their off-season. By Jelisa Castrodale We're already a month-plus into spring and in Maine, spring isn't just about April showers (rain or snow) or May flowers: it also marks the start of the state's seaweed harvest. According to the Associated Press, Maine is the spot for the United State's seaweed farming industry, and this year already looks like one for the record books. Atlantic Sea Farms, which works with more than two dozen seaweed farmers, told the outlet that it expects this year's briny crop to tip the scales at more than 800,000 pounds, which almost doubles last year's harvest of 450,000 pounds—a state record at the time. Over the past several years, Maine has moved from collecting wild seaweed to farmed varieties, and the annual harvests keep getting bigger. In 2018, the total haul of farmed seaweed was around 54,000 pounds, then grew to 280,000 pounds in 2019. A proje

The Not So Secret History Of The Drive-Thru

Dining out got a new look in 1948, thanks to a 100-square foot burger shack perched next to a circular Baldwin Park, California, driveway. There, five cooks worked behind glass walls assembling take-out meals for motorists, lured by the a sign assuring “NO DELAY” and a restaurant name that promised exactly what it delivered: In-N-Out. There are a few claimants for the first fast food eatery to feature a true drive-thru, but In-N-Out Burger’s first restaurant, with its intercom ordering system and its lack of both inside seating and outside parking was likely the first to offer the complete drive-thru package. Where Did Drive-Thru Dining Begin? Before the drive-thru, though, came the drive-in, a type of restaurant where customers ate their meals on the premises without leaving their cars. The drive-in concept was first popularized by a Texas chain of eateries called the Pig Stand, whose first drive-in opened on a highway connecting Dallas and Fort Worth in 1921. Customers would pull in

Yakitori Chicken with Ginger, Garlic and Soy Sauce Recipe

INGREDIENTS 1 pound chicken livers, gizzards or boneless thigh meat ½ cup dark soy sauce or tamari ¼ cup mirin 2 tablespoons sake or dry sherry 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger Scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish PREPARATION Cut chicken into one-inch pieces and place in a shallow dish. In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce or tamari, mirin, sake or sherry, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook for 7 minutes, until thickened. Reserve 2 tablespoons sauce for serving. Pour remaining sauce over chicken, cover, and chill for at least one hour (and up to 4 hours). If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak them in water for one hour. Preheat grill or broiler. Thread chicken pieces onto skewers, and grill or broil, turning halfway, for about 3 minutes for livers, 10 minutes for gizzards and 6 minutes for thighs. Serve drizzled with reserved sauce and garnished

Dairy Free Banana Pudding Recipe

We have been working on a dairy free pudding, in this case a banana pudding using coconut milk. The following recipe was been reworked a couple of times and the results are pretty good. In fact, you could eliminate the sugar/sweetener all together when using the roasted bananas. It all depends on how sweet you like your pudding. If you are so inclined, you could layer the pudding with cookies (as many do), but we prefer them not in our pudding. It is a personal choice. Also you could strain the bananas before adding to your warm mixture if you do not want lumps. Again, we wanted the texture of the bananas so we opted not to go this route. 1/4 cup sugar or other sweetener such as honey or gava 3 eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups full fat coconut milk 1/3 cup flour 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) 4 bananas, roasted Coconut whipped cream (optional - our recipe to be posted later) When your bananas are roasted, let cool for 5-10 minutes then re

White Fish Gravlax Recipe

White Fish Gravlax Serves 4 Here is a great starter, light lunch or a fantastic item for your holiday buffet. If you have problems with gluten substitute the wheat bread for a flax or millet bread or leave it out entirely and eat on some mixed greens. Gravlax 5 ounces/145 grams white fish, bass, snapper-I used tilapia (sushi grade) 2 tablespoons/30 ml coarse salt 2 tablespoons/30 ml caster sugar 1 tablespoon/15 ml of ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon/2 ml ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon/2 ml ground cloves 8-10 pieces of fresh dill fronds Mustard Butter 2 Tablespoons/30 ml 28g of unsalted butter, softened 2 Tablespoons/30 ml of dijon mustard. Salad 1 handful of watercress dressed with simple vinaigrette Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream Mix salt, sugar, black pepper, allspice, and ground cloves. Liberally sprinkle on both sides of the fish. Lay half of the dill in a glass container. Place the fish on top and cover with rest of the dill

Yeast Or Not To Yeast...how to substitute yeast

Do you have food allergies? Can't take YEAST? Here is a simple way to substitute- Baking Soda or Baking Powder. Baking soda is also used as a leavening agent i n some bread products. However, it operates differently than yeast and may not always be suitable as a substitute. However, here is how baking soda differs from yeast and how to substitute it. Baking soda doesn’t make bread rise in the same fashion as yeast. Baking soda needs to react to an acid to cause carbon dioxide bubbles to make the bread rise. It is often called for in recipes that have a naturally acidic batter for the baking soda to react in. If your recipe calls for yeast and not baking soda, then it generally does not have the required acid for the baking soda to react in. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t use baking soda as a substitute. If you want to use baking soda as a substitute for yeast, you’ll need to add an acid to the mix. Generally this is done by adding equal parts baking soda an

Why You Need A Personal Chef - Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Miami Beach

Do you find yourself going to the grocery store and feeling overwhelmed by everything that is on the shelves? With the hectic schedules that we all lead today it can feel like a chore to provide a good home-cooked meal for your family. Wouldn’t it be nice to have someone working in your kitchen, providing delicious – and time-saving – family-friendly meals? Look no further: YaDa Chef is the stress-free answer to your family’s grocery shopping and cooking needs. A personal chef is not a luxury A personal chef service provides stress-free meals prepared to your specifications in your home. Your kitchen is left spotless with a refrigerator full of delicious meals. Having your own personal chef is not a luxury reserved for the rich. A personal chef service can cost you less than eating out at a moderately priced restaurant. Using a personal chef service can free up 10 to 12 hours of your time every week. Personal chefs are responsible for handling all the menu planning, groce

Salmon or Mackerel Loaf with Cucumber Sauce Recipe

From the book Best Recipes from the backs of bottles, boxes, cans and jars 15 ounce/425g can salmon or mackerel (drained and flaked) 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons/183g dry bread crumbs* 1/2 cup/125ml Mayonnaise 1 small onion chopped 1 stalk celery chopped 1/2 red pepper chopped 1 egg beaten In a large bowl add the salmon/mackerel, bread crumbs, mayonnaise, onion, celery, pepper and egg. Mix to combine well. Place the mixture into lightly greased 9 x 5 inch/23 x 13 centimeter loaf pan. Place in a pre-heated 350F/180C/Gas 4 oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes. *Substitute 1/2 the amount of rice crumbs for a gluten free version While the salmon loaf is cooking combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, cucumber, onion and dill. Taste for salt and pepper. Let sit to marry the flavours. Cucumber Sauce 1/2 cup/125ml Mayonnaise 1/2 cup/125ml Sour Cream * 1/2 Cucumber finely chopped 1 small onion chopped 1 teaspoon/5ml dill weed * If you do not have s

Chicken Provencal Recipe

Rich flavours and a hearty sauce will make everyone think you have been cooking for hours. Bone in chicken has more flavor and is the classic way to make this dish, but feel free to use a boneless piece. Serves 4 2 pounds/900g chicken leg quarters 1 teaspoon/5ml sea salt 1/2 teaspoon/2ml black pepper 1/3 cup/90ml olive oil 1/2 cup/125 dry white wine 2 medium onions chopped 1 clove garlic minced 8 ounces/225g baby bella mushrooms sliced 1/2 cup/125ml pureed tomatoes 2 tablespoons/30ml chopped parsley Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Thoroughly wash and pat dry the chicken and season with salt and pepper liberally on all sides. Brown chicken 4-5 minutes on both sides. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1/4 cup of the wine. Cook chicken for 10-12 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, and 1/2 of the parsley cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken to a serving platter and add r

YaDa Chef Personal Chefs & Event Catering

Search This Blog