Menouille Picarde

A unique and uncommon, but equally delicious and hearty dish, Menouille Picardie is a casserole or stew dish featuring beans and bacon from the sophisticated French cuisine.

The dish Menouille got its name from the place of its origin, which is the northern region of France known as Picardie. The dish is prepared by cooking mainly Soissons beans, lean bacon, onions, and potatoes with minimal seasonings.

Driving earthy flavors from the beans and vegetables, the dish blends with a hint of meaty flavors from the bacon with a dash of freshness from thyme. All different flavors and aromas culminate together to concoct a delicious and substantial dish, perfect for a chilly night.

Health Benefits

The main of the dish, beans are known to be superfoods; which means that they provide the body various nutritional benefits. These beans are a great source of plant based protein, which is beneficial for the muscles; and also of dietary fiber, which helps improve the digestive tract and prevent various diseases. Combined with the different vitamins and minerals from the other ingredients, this dish is incredibly nutritious.

Ingredients

lean breast bacon (1/2 salt): 500 gm

dry Soissons beans (if unavailable, use any other dry bean): 600 gm

Potatoes: 500 gm

onions (coarsely chopped): 250gm

Butter: 1 1/4 cup

sprigs of fresh thyme: 2

Salt and pepper to taste

How To Make Menouille Picarde

1. Soak the beans the night before, or 12 hours ahead from when you want to cook them, in large amount of water.
2. Heat a skillet over low heat, add bacon to and cover with enough water to submerge it. Let is cook until the water comes to a boil.
3. Drain the water and cut the bacon into stripes, making sure to remove the cartilage and rind.
4. In a large pot or casserole, heat 50 grams or ¼ cup butter over low heat.
5. Add the coarsely chopped onions and bacon pieces to the pot and fry them until they develop a golden brown color.
6. Drain the pre soaked beans, and add them to the onions and bacon.
7. Add thyme and stir well, pour in enough water to cover the beans 1 cm above.
8. Cover the pot with a lid and let the stew cook for 25 minutes.
9. Add the diced potatoes to the beans; cover the pot and cook for 10 more minutes.
10. Remove the lid and cook the beans for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
11. Pour the stew to a serving dish one ladle full at a time; and crushing the vegetables with a fork.
12. Add the remaining butter to the bean stew, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir with a fork to mix everything well.
13. Serve hot.

Trivia

• Soisson beans, which are also called white lima beans or butter beans, got its original name from the place they were fist cultivated in France, i.e. in Soissons in Picardie in the 18^th

Did you know that potatoes are one of the most consumes vegetables in the world? An average American consumes about 124 pounds of potatoes each year, while Germs eat twice the amount.