Cannellini Beans in Vegetable Stock

Who on earth would have imagined the humble bean could be so good, well the Italians have always known it and use them extensively as side dishes or with Meats and Fish, these are so good they pretty much become the main event!

They make a brilliant substitute to mashed potatoes crushed with a glug of Olive Oil. Amazing as a Tuscan Vegetable Bean soup on winters nights, however you have them, have them, they are unbelievably good.

I used a dried cannelloni Bean, so I hydrated them in water overnight, then rinsed them off.

Start in a casserole dish by heating a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil and add three crushed cloves of garlic and Prosciutto hock, if you can't get that use Jamon Centro Campofrio as I did today. Saute about one minute flavouring the oil.

Now add the cannelloni beans and sauté for another couple of minutes, then pour in One and a half pints of fresh Vegetable Stock ( Don't use stock cubes or the salt will harden the skins) Now make a bouquet garni of Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Leaf and tie this around a carrot and a leek if you have one. Pour in the stock to the beans, gently place in the bouquet garni, a tomato cut in half and a quartered onion.

Bring the stock to the boil,skim of any impurities, then simmer over a low heat for One and a half to two hours, until the beans begin to burst open.

Season well with Salt and Black Pepper, then remove the Bouquet Garni and leave the beans to cool.