Bean in the Pantry

RECIPES & IMAGES | EMMA GALLOWAY

Tinned beans are something most people have stashed away in their pantry, and I’m guessing there’s more than a few of you looking for simple, delicious ways to use them up right about now. Here’s a couple of my favourite ways to eat them.

BEANS ON TOAST

If you don’t have cannellini beans, try butter beans, pinto or borlotti. If you don’t have passata, you can blend a third of a 400g can of tinned tomatoes until smooth and use this instead. Raw or brown sugar can be used in place of maple syrup. Don’t have tomato paste? Don’t worry, it adds a richer flavour but these are lovely made without too. I scatted the top with some chives, flat parsley and baby rocket from my garden, but don’t worry if you don’t have any herbs at hand. While beans on toast is often thought of as breakfast food, it’s just as good for lunch or dinner!

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil ½ onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped (or a good pinch of dried thyme) ½ tsp smoked paprika ½ cup passata (tomato puree) 400g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well 1 tbsp tomato paste 1–2 tsp pure maple syrup hot buttered toast, to serve fresh herbs, roughly chopped, to serve (optional) Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and onion and cook, stirring often until onions are tender. Add garlic and thyme and cook for a further 30 seconds. Add paprika and cook for a few seconds before adding passata, beans, tomato paste, maple syrup and approx. a quarter of a cup of water. Season with a little fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. Add a touch more water if it’s looking too dry at any stage. Serve over hot buttered toast, scattered with fresh herbs if you have some.

CHOCOLATE BEAN CAKE

With only six basic pantry ingredients, this flourless chocolate cake is one of my favourites. I tend to use kidney beans, but black or pinto beans also work great. I serve un-iced, but for even more decadence you could top with a chocolate ganache and/or serve with cream or ice cream.

Serves 8–10

200g dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly (I use Whittaker’s 50%) 400g tin beans, drained and rinsed well (see headnotes) 3 large free-range eggs ½ cup raw sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp baking powder (gluten-free if needed) cocoa powder, to dust Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm loosebottomed cake tin and line with baking paper.

Place drained beans, eggs, sugar, vanilla, baking powder and a good pinch fine sea salt into a small food processor and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed. Add chocolate and blend until combined. Transfer mixture to prepared cake tin and bake 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Serve dusted with cocoa powder.

Emma Galloway mydarlinglemonthyme.com | @mydarlinglemonthyme

Emma Galloway is a former chef, food photographer and creator of the multi-award winning food blog My Darling Lemon Thyme. Emma has published two cookbooks, My Darling Lemon Thyme and A Year in My Real Food Kitchen. She lives in her hometown of Raglan, with her husband and two children.

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