1 Onion; chopped
2 Smoked bacon rashers; rinded
-and cut into strips
1 tb Olive oil
1 tb Unsalted butter
1 cl Garlic; crushed
8 Fresh basil leaves; chopped
1 Bay leaf
100 g Dried butter beans; (4 oz)
600 ml Chicken stock; (1 pt); up to
-900 ml (1-1/2 pt)
2 Tomatoes; skinned; seeded
-and diced
Salt and freshly ground
-black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
Sweat the chopped onion and bacon in a flameproof dish in the olive
oil and butter for a few minutes, then add the garlic, basil, bay
leaf, and butter beans. Cover with 600 ml (1 pt) of chicken stock and
bring to the simmer. Cover and cook in the pre-heated oven for 1 to
1-1/2 hours until the beans are tender; they may need a little more
stock added during the cooking process.
When the beans are tender they will have created a thick sauce. Add
the tomatoes, salt and pepper and spoon on to hot plates.
Recipe by Gary Rhodes, Rhodes Around Britain, London: BBC Books, 1994
