Recipe
1 pound of gigante or elephant beans
1 stalk of celery
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of baby dill, plus 1 teaspoon chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
1/2 chopped onion
1 cup of peeled, crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pepper flakes
6 cloves of crushed garlic
2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 Thai chili peppers chopped
2 tablespoon feta
1 teaspoon salt
Directions
Soak the Gigante beans in a bowl and cover with water for 24 hours.
Drain beans and place in a large sauce pan with water. Bring to a boil.
Using butcher string tie the thyme and sprig of dill together. Add to the pot along with the bay leaf. Cook beans until just tender. About 1 hour.
Drain the beans and discard the liquid, saving 1/2 a cup of it. Discard the herb bundle and bay leaf.
Pre-heat oven 400 degrees.
In a sauce pan that can also go into the oven, heat the olive oil. Add chopped onion and chopped celery. Sauté until onions are just soft.
Add in the crushed garlic and Thai peppers, sauté for a minute. Add the tomato sauce, cinnamon, pepper flakes, sugar, chopped dill and salt. Stir. Let this simmer for 10 minutes.
Add in the beans with the 1/2 cup of reserved bean broth.
Place the sauce pan into the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle feta and chopped parsley.
Serve with lamb and crusty bread.
