French cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

White Beans Bretonne Style

White beans slowly braised in a sauce of tomato, onion and bay leaf until creamy and tender.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g dried white beans
• 2 onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 carrot
• 400 g chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 sprig thyme
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water, drain the next day and rinse well.
2. Bring the beans to a boil with 1.2 l fresh water, one bay leaf and the halved carrot and simmer gently without salt for 50-60 min until tender but still whole; keep the cooking water.
3. Finely dice the onions and sweat them in the olive oil over medium heat for 8 min until translucent, then add the chopped garlic and tomato paste and fry for 1 min.
4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, the second bay leaf and the thyme and simmer uncovered for 10 min until the sauce is dark and thick.
5. Fold in the drained beans, pour in 200 ml of the cooking water and braise covered for 20 min, until the sauce lies creamy around the beans; season with salt and pepper only now.
6. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprig, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot as a main dish or as a side to lamb.