Instant Pot Saucy Beans & Eggs

 

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, smashed or thinly sliced

½ tsp. cumin seeds (optional)

3 cups cooked pinto beans or white beans; or canned beans, rinsed and drained

1¼ to 1½ cups chicken or vegetable broth

½ tsp. fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 large eggs

 

Extra-virgin olive oil Chopped fresh mint

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

Freshly ground black pepper

Garlicky Pistou, optional

Perfect Toast , optional

 

Place the olive oil, garlic, and cumin seeds in the inner pot of a pressure cooker and set to the Sauté function. Cook about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the beans, broth, salt, and some pepper and continue on the Sauté setting to soften the beans until the mixture is saucy, stirring the beans occasionally to release their starches and thicken the sauce, about 4 minutes. Crack the eggs into the beans and cook on the Sauté setting until the whites are just starting to set, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover the pot (don’t lock), turn off the heat, and let the eggs continue to cook until the whites are fully set and the yolks are soft and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes more, depending on how firm you like your yolks.  Open the lid and spoon the beans and eggs into shallow bowls or serve over toast, drizzled with some olive oil and sprinkled with the mint, salt and pepper.  Serve with a dollop of pistou, if desired.

 

 

Garlicky Pistou

 

The foundation of a perfect pistou is fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, and grating cheese (often parmesan), the last added for body and a perfect salty-umami finish. Use whatever fine grating cheese you have on hand: parmesan, pecorino, or aged Manchego all work, as does a nutty, semi-firm cheese like Gruyere. You can make the pistou loose and shaggy, like a gremolata, but for most soups I love it blended to a creamy green paste in a food processor. Try also stirring the pistou into creamy soups,

 

1 large bunch basil (about 2 packed cups)

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese (2 ounces)

3 garlic cloves

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil

½ tsp. fine sea salt

1 to 3 tsp. hot water

 

Combine the basil, cheese, garlic, olive oil, and salt in a small food processor or a blender and pulse to roughly chop. Add the hot water, 1 tsp. at a time, to get the blade moving, and blend to make a smooth paste. You want it a touch runnier than a pesto but thick enough to easily dollop with a spoon. Refrigerate the pistou for up to 5 days in an airtight container, covered with a thin layer of olive oil to maintain the green color.

 

 

 

Perfect Toast

 

There’s something otherworldly about a slice of sourdough bread that’s been skillet-toasted in butter and olive oil (yes, both, the butter sizzles and seeps into the bread, while the oil, which can handle higher heat, helps the edges brown).  For every 2 to 3 pieces of toast, heat 1 T. each butter and extra-virgin olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet set over medium-high heat (have extra butter and oil handy for toasting the other side – how much you need depends on the bread and how buttery you like your toast). Add thick slices of sourdough, whole wheat, or baguette, and cook until toasted and golden, and the bread is starting to soak up the fat, about 3 minutes.  Flip, adding another T. each butter and oil, and cook until edges are golden but interior is still soft, 2 minutes more.