Welcome to Mise en Place, a journey of culinary delight where anything can happen. Based on the Colorado Department of Agriculture's list of food by month, KRCC takes a look at farmers, chefs, and fodder, all with a Centennial State bent.
Each month, the state's agriculture department highlights a commodity and provides a recipe using that product. We take it a step further.
Beans take center stage for February and KRCC's Ellen Mahoney visited Abbondanza Organic Seeds & Produce in Longmont, and spoke with co-owner Rich Pecoraro. Ellen also visited The Kitchen in Boulder and met with sous chef Dennis Phelps who created a bean ragout presented under scallops.
Click below for the Three-Bean Ragout from Dennis Phelps of the Kitchen, and for Spicy Bean Salsa from the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
Three-Bean Ragout
Sous Chef Dennis Phelps, The Kitchen in Boulder
(Dennis Phelps serves this recipe under scallops.)
3 cups cooked beans (we used Anasazi, Yellow Indian Woman & Red Mexican beans) all cooked separately.
1/2 cup small diced carrot
1/2 cup small diced celery
1/2 cup small diced red onion
1/4 cup small diced parsnip
5 cloves garlic, slivered
1 cup light fish or vegetable stock
2 tbl butter
salt & pepper to taste
lemon juice
chopped herbs such as tarragon, parsley, chives
Warm beans gently in the stock. As the beans warm, melt 1/2 of the butter and lightly saute the garlic until fragrant. Then add the other vegetables and a pinch of salt. Gently saute the vegetables until they are tender and sweet. Mix the beans and vegetables, add the remaining butter, and continue to simmer until the beans are creamy. The mixture should not be too moist or dry. The combination of the starch from the beans and the stock and butter should hold the ragout loosely. Add any remaining salt and pepper to taste along with squeezed lemon and the chopped herbs.
Recipe from the Colorado Department of Agriculture
Spicy Bean Salsa
Chef Jason K. Morse, C.E.C., Valley Country Club, Aurora, Colo.
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Small Red Onion, diced small
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tomatoes, diced medium
2 Fresno Peppers, diced small
1 Hatch Pepper, roasted, peeled and diced small
1 15oz. can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz. can Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
2 Ears Corn, cut off cob after cooking
1 14oz. can Tomato Juice
1 Tbsp. Cajun Seasoning
1/4 Bunch Cilantro, chopped, no stem
Heat a large sauté pan, add olive oil then heat oil. Sauté the onions until golden, add the garlic and tomatoes and cook until soft. Add the peppers and cook until soft then add beans, corn, tomato juice and seasoning and cook for three minutes until well combined. Adjust seasoning as needed and finish with cilantro. Chill and serve cold with flour tortilla chips.
