Flageolets with Autumn Greens and Fresh Bacon

Ingredients for Flageolets with Autumn Greens and Fresh Bacon

• 110g fresh bacon

• 400g kosher salt mixed with 400g sugar

• 400g dried flageolet beans, soaked overnight and drained

• 1 carrot, halved

• 1 onion, quartered

• 1 whole head garlic, halved widthwise

• 1/4 cup dried apricots, roughly chopped

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 dried ancho chilli

• About 2 tablespoons fino sherry vinegar

• Salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• A few leaves Tuscan kale

• A few leaves black kale

• A few leaves mustard greens

• Good olive oil for drizzling

Pack the fresh bacon in the salt and sugar mixture, cover, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Rinse and pat dry, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

Combine the bacon, beans, carrot, onion, garlic, apricots, bay leaves, and chilli in a pressure cooker and add cold water to come an inch above the beans. Fit the pressure cooker with the lid and raise the temperature to high until it starts to whistle. Reduce to the lowest setting and cook until the beans are creamy and cooked through, roughly 25 minutes. Remove the lid and adjust the seasoning with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Alternately, bring the ingredients to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the beans are thoroughly cooked through and creamy, roughly 1 3/4 hours.

Remove the large aromatic vegetables, garlic, chilli, and bay leaves from the pot and discard. They've done their flavoring job. Coarsely chop the greens or tear with your hands, then fold them into the beans. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the greens are tender.

Serve with warm crusty bread and a healthy dose of olive oil.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.