Red Kidney Bean Puree

Name: Red Kidney Bean Puree
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: ½ pound red kidney beans, washed and picked over; 1 ½ cups full-bodied red wine; 1 stick cinnamon or a pinch of ground cinnamon; 1 onion stuck with 1 clove Herb bouquet made with thyme, parsley and bay leaf; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; Few drops balsamic vinegar

By Moira Hodgson

Published March 2, 1991

Total Time: 2 minutes
Rating: 4(7)
Comments: Read comments

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

½ pound red kidney beans, washed and picked over
1 ½ cups full-bodied red wine
1 stick cinnamon or a pinch of ground cinnamon
1 onion stuck with 1 clove Herb bouquet made with thyme, parsley and bay leaf
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Few drops balsamic vinegar

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Soak the beans in cold water overnight.
Step 2
Heat the wine in a saucepan with spices, onion, herbs and peppers and two cups of water. Bring the liquid to a boil and keep it at a simmer. Meanwhile, drain the beans, cover them with cold water and bring them to a boil. Boil hard for five minutes and drain. Immediately add the beans to the simmering wine, cover and cook over medium low heat one to one-and-a-half hours. Add boiling water if necessary to keep the beans covered. (Season with one teaspoon of salt only when the beans are tender.)
Step 3
Drain the beans, reserving one-half cup of the cooking liquid. Discard the cinnamon stick, bouquet and onion. Puree the beans in a food processor; for a finer result one can then press them with the cooking liquid through the fine blade of a food mill. Return the beans to the saucepan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, over low heat until the puree becomes thick enough to come away from the sides of the pan.
Step 4
Gradually beat in the butter. Correct the seasoning. (The beans can be prepared one day in advance. Reheat them slowly in a double boiler or a covered glass dish in the microwave.)