White Beans with Bacon

Our same white bean recipe with a little added bonus!

In our previous post, I outlined the basics of making white beans.  To jazz them up for a second or third meal, we add bacon and shallots to this version.  Granted there are already onions in the basic recipe, they melt away during cooking for the most part.

Serves:  8
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes

4 cups pre-cooked white beans
4 slabs bacon, preferably organic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped

Cook the bacon and set aside.  Keep the residual fat in the pan.

Pat as much grease off as possible.

In the same skillet, add the chopped shallots and cook in the bacon fat. 

Sautee until tender and slightly golden.

Add cooked bacon and shallots to 4 cups Basic White Beans.  Voila!  That is it.

Nutritionally speaking, bacon adds sodium and fat to the recipe so if you are salt-sensitive, forgo this recipe.  Flavor-wise, this is a yummy way to extend the beans and adds more protein to make a meal.  Left-over vegetables may be added such as cooked chopped zucchini, peppers, fennel, eggplant, root vegetables, and tomatoes to name a few.  Use what is fresh and in season.   Per serving, bacon adds about 40 calories to the Basic White Bean Recipe. 

Don't waste food.  Beans act as a wonderful camoflage for using up left-over veggies.

- Kim Fielding