Cranberry Bean Gratin

• 1 1/4 cups cranberry or borlotti beans
• Salt
• 1/2 onion (about 1/4 cup diced)
• 1 small peeled carrot (about 1/4 cup diced)
• 1 small celery stalk (about 1/4 cup diced)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
• Salt
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned organic
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup Toasted Breadcrumbs (page 63)

1. Soak overnight in 4 cups water: 1 1/4 cups cranberry or borlotti beans.
2. Drain and cover with fresh water by 2 inches in a saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Lower the heat and skim off any foam.
5. Simmer gently for 2 hours or so until the beans are tender.
6. Add more water if necessary during the cooking.
7. Season to taste with: Salt.
8. Set the beans aside to cool in their liquid.
9. Meanwhile finely dice: 1/2 onion (about 1/4 cup diced), 1 small peeled carrot (about 1/4 cup diced), 1 small celery stalk (about 1/4 cup diced).
10. Heat in a heavy-bottomed pan: 1/4 cup olive oil.
11. Add the diced vegetables and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
12. Add: 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, 6 fresh sage leaves, chopped, Salt.
13. Cook for 5 minutes and then stir in: 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned organic.
14. Cook for 5 minutes.
15. Taste and add salt if necessary.
16. Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.
17. Mix the beans with the vegetables and put into a medium-size gratin or baking dish.
18. Taste for salt.
19. Add enough bean liquid to almost cover.
20. Drizzle with: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
21. Cover with: 1/2 cup Toasted Breadcrumbs (page 63).
22. Bake for 40 minutes in a preheated 350F oven, checking occasionally.
23. If the gratin is drying out, carefully spoon in a little bean liquid (pouring at the sides of the gratin dish to avoid getting the crumbs wet).
24. Fresh shell beans make an even tastier gratin.
25. Shell 3 pounds fresh cranberry beans.
26. Cover them with water to a depth of about an inch, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and start checking for doneness after about 20 minutes.
27. You dont have to turn the beans into a gratin.
28. Simply cook the beans together with the tomatoes and vegetables for 10 minutes before serving.
29. Other herbs can be substituted for sage: try about 1/2 tablespoon of the finely chopped leaves of rosemary, thyme, summer or winter savory, marjoram, parsley, or oregano.

cranberry, salt, onion, carrot, celery, olive oil, garlic, sage, salt, tomatoes, extravirgin olive oil, breadcrumbs

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cranberry-bean-gratin-387052 (may not work)