Recipe: Saucy Beans and Eggs (instant pot / pressure cooker)

SAUCY BEANS AND EGGS
(instant pot / pressure cooker)

"Never underestimate the power of simplicity. On a winter weekday morning, or even a summer weekend, saucy beans with an egg poached right in the center of them (all in one pot) is a filling, sustaining meal, perfect for the savory set. Add a dollop of Garlicky Pistou, or pesto, or any other secret sauce you have stocked in your fridge and watch the crowd go wild."



Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Serves 4
gluten-free* vegetarian*

FOR THE BEANS:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, smashed or thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
3 cups cooked pinto beans or white beans; or canned beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth *For vegetarian, use vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
FOR SERVING:
Extra-virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh mint
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Freshly ground black pepper
Garlicky Pistou (recipe follows); or pesto
Toast *For gluten-free,
omit bread or use gluten-free toast

Place the olive oil, garlic, and cumin seeds in the inner pot of a pressure cooker and set to the Saute function. Cook about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the beans broth, salt, and some pepper and continue on the Saute 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 Saute 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, flaky 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."

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Makes 3/4 cup
gluten-free vegetarian

1 large bunch basil (about 2 packed cups)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (2 ounces)
3 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 to 3 teaspoons 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 1 to 3 hot water, 1 teaspoon 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 keep the basil from turning brown.

Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: Instant Family Meals by Sarah Copeland: Delicious Dishes from Your Slow Cooker, Pressure Cooker, Multicooker, and Instant Pot