Italian Cannellini Beans

Savory Italian Bean Recipe and it is low carb and high fiber, too! 

The secret to this recipe are to buy the best canned beans that you can. I have two favorites: AnnaLise's Cannellini (navy beans) and Truitt's Navy Beans (found at food co-op stores). Of course, dried beans work, but this is an Easy Peasy recipe after all.

Ingredients

• One twelve ounce can for 3 servings.
• Minced garlic: 2 -3 cloves (sections) per can
• Dried crushed oregano
• Dried crushed parsley
• Dried red pepper flakes
• Olive Oil
• Dry white wine

You will need a flat frying pan. This recipe takes less than 20 minutes.

Method

1. Have your garlic and herbs ready to go
2. Open the cans of beans
3. Heat your skillet. Heat should be medium.  Be prepared to stir constantly.
4. Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to the pan
5. Then saute your minced garlic for a couple of minutes 
6. Before the garlic turns brown, add the beans to the skillet
7. Stir
8. Add the oregano by sprinkling a little more than a half a teaspoon across the mixture.
9. Stir, then add the same amount of parsley.
10. Next add about third of a cup of white wine.
11. Stir and then let the liquid to begin reducing
12. Add red pepper flakes to your taste.
13. Stir and simmer for about five minute to let the flavors meld.
14. Enjoy! 

Steak---Pierre's Way

Pierre's Marinade for Grilled Beef

This is a classic French grillade marinade for just about any cut of beef.

If you are planning on grilling a top sirloin, New York strip, or rib-eye steak, the meat will only need to marinate for a few hours. If you are using a more economical cut such as London Broil, tri-tip, or hangar steak, 24 hours works best.  
However, do not marinate the meat for more than 24 hours because it will become mushy.

Ingredient List

• Your beef selection, at least 6 ounces for each serving.
• Minced garlic, two cloves for each serving (if you are on a boat, or in a hurry a good tube of garlic paste will work) 
• Herbs de Provence, at least a tablespoon for each serving
• Olive Oil
• Red wine (Pierre would say French red wine, but of course)
• Fleur de Sel coarse  (the better the sea salt, the better the taste) -- a quarter teaspoon at least for each serving.
• You will need a flat bottom casserole or glass container to marinate and refrigerate your beef.

Method
1. Assemble all your ingredients in one place---ready to go.
2. The order of the marinade is most important.
3. Pat dry your beef.
4. Then rub with the Fleur de Sel on both sides of the beef cut.
5. Next rub in the minced garlic on both sides.
6. Pour enough olive oil to coat both sides of your cuts of beef.
7. Apply the Herbs de Provence on the both sides. The olive oil should help the herbs stick to the meat.
8. Finally, delicately pour the red wine over the beef so that you don't wash away the herbs.
9. Cover and refrigerate.
10. Don't forget to gently flip over the meat.  I tend to take any of the herbs and garlic that accumulate in the dish and rub back onto the meat.

Grilling the Beef

Andy says only a hickory fire will do, but you can make do with a gas grill or charcoal grill---just try not to use grill starter fluid.

Take the meat out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before grilling. Grill to your temperature on one side and then flip your beef. Flip it only once and don't poke any holes in it--we advise using tongs.

Remove steaks and place on a warm platter so that the juices will accumulate. Enjoy!