Fasolka po bretońsku (aka 'Breton Beans'): Polish-style White Beans with Kiełbasa and Bacon
Pour cold water in, around 4 inches (10 cm) above the beans.
- 14 oz (0.9 lb; 400 g) dry large butter/lima beans; can be replaced with 2 cans (16 oz; 400-450 g each); more details in the post above
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 3-4 allspice berries
- 7 oz (200 g) smoked bacon slab
- 9 oz (250 g) smoked kiełbasa
- 1 medium onion (4 oz; 120 g), white or yellow
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon lard, can be replaced with neutral cooking oil
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste (tomato concentrate)
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 0.5 teaspoon spicy paprika powder; optional
- 0.5 cup (120-125 ml) dry red wine; can be replaced with stock or skipped completely
- 14 oz (400 g) canned diced tomatoes in tomato juice
- 1 teaspoon dried savory; can be replaced with dried thyme or 1 sprig of fresh savory/thyme
- 2 tablespoons dried marjoram
- salt; for seasoning
- black pepper, ground; for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped; for garnish
- Rinse the beans well. Place them in a cooking pot.
- Pour cold water in, around 4 inches (10 cm) above the beans. Set aside to soak overnight.
- Strain the next day and pour 4 cups (approx. 1 litre) of fresh water in. Add 2 bay leaves, 3-4 allspice berries and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat.
- Cover with a lid (leaving a tiny gap) and gently simmer for around 90 minutes. Check the water level from time to time - if it’s getting too low, pour more in. Not sure if your beans are cooked? Do a quick taste test. Beans should be tender, yet still firm.
- [Optional step] Place the slab of bacon into the freezer for 15-20 minutes, allowing it to firm up.
- Retrieve the slab bacon from the freezer. Using a sharp knife, cut the skin off the bacon slab. You can add it whole to the cooking beans, for flavour (you’ll have to fish it out later). Otherwise - just discard it.
- Dice the bacon into cubes. The size is up to you, I prefer smaller cubes, roughly sized at 0.2-0.3’’ (5-7 mm) per side. Set aside.
- Slice kiełbasa into rounds. Again, their thickness is up to you - but in general, the better kiełbasa quality, the thicker the rounds can be. Alternatively, you can dice kiełbasa into cubes. Set aside.
- Peel the onion and garlic cloves. Dice the onion finely; then chop or mince the garlic. Set aside.
- In a deep skillet/frying pan, heat up a tablespoon of lard or cooking oil. Add in diced bacon first and fry, stirring occasionally. Once it gains some colour, add kiełbasa rounds and fry together until golden.
- Add diced onion and three tablespoons of tomato concentrate. Season with half a teaspoon of smoked paprika powders, and half a teaspoon of spicy paprika powder, if you enjoy more ‘kick’. Stir to combine and fry gently until the onion starts to turn translucent (5 minutes or so).
- Add chopped garlic, stir it in and continue frying for 2 minutes. Pour half a cup of dry red wine and combine.
- [Using beans cooked from scratch] Move the contents of the skillet/frying pan into the pot with cooked beans. If there’s still some water there - that’s okay, there’s no need to strain it.
- [Using canned beans] Add canned beans into the skillet/frying pan, together with the bean liquid.
- Add diced tomatoes and season with a teaspoon of dried savory, two tablespoons of marjoram and a generous pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Stir and cover partially with a lid. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, allowing the flavours to combine.
- Have a taste. If it’s too acidic (sometimes that happens, when the tomatoes are too acidic), add a teaspoon of sugar and stir it in.
- If the consistency of your 'Fasolka po Bretońsku' is too watery, there are two remedies:- Continue cooking without a lid, allowing the excess liquid to evaporate, or...- Move some of the sauce into a cup, and a tablespoon of all-purpose flour, blend together with a fork (into a smooth paste) and return to the pot.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately in soup plates or bowls, with freshly sliced bread on the side.
Strain the next day and pour 4 cups (approx. 1 litre) of fresh water in. Add 2 bay leaves, 3-4 allspice berries and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Cover with a lid (leaving a tiny gap) and gently simmer for around 90 minutes. Check the water level from time to time - if it’s getting too low, pour more in. Beans should be tender, yet still business. [Optional step] Place the slab of bacon into the freezer for 15-20 minutes, allowing it to firm up.
You can add it whole to the cookery beans, for savour (you’ll have to fish it out later). The size is up to you, I prefer smaller cubes, roughly sized at 0.2-0.3’’ (5-7 mm) per side.
Again, their thickness is up to you - but in general, the better kiełbasa quality, the thicker the rounds can be. In a deep skillet/frying pan, heat up a tablespoon of lard or cookery oil. Add in diced bacon first and fry, stirring occasionally.
Once it gains some colour, add kiełbasa rounds and fry together until golden. Season with half a teaspoon of smoked paprika powders, and half a teaspoon of spicy paprika powder, if you enjoy more ‘kick’.
Stir to combine and fry gently until the onion starts to turn translucent (5 minutes or so). Add chopped garlic, stir it in and continue frying for 2 minutes.
Pour half a cup of dry red wine and combine. [Using beans cooked from scratch] Move the contents of the skillet/frying pan into the pot with cooked beans. If there’s still some water there - that’s okay, there’s no need to strain it. [Using canned beans] Add canned beans into the skillet/frying pan, together with the bean liquid.
Add diced tomatoes and season with a teaspoon of dried savory, two tablespoons of marjoram and a generous pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes, allowing the flavours to combine. If it’s too acidic (sometimes that happens, when the tomatoes are too acidic), add a teaspoon of sugar and stir it in.
If the consistency of your 'Fasolka po Bretońsku' is too watery, there are two remedies:- Continue cooking without a lid, allowing the excess liquid to evaporate, or...- Move some of the sauce into a cup, and a tablespoon of all-purpose flour, blend together with a fork (into a smooth paste) and return to the pot. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately in soup plates or bowls, with freshly sliced bread on the side.