Fresh Cranberry Beans With Tomatoes, Onions and Cinnamon

NcMysteryShopper's Note:

If you think cinnamon seems odd with beans, you've underestimated what Turkish cooks can do with spices. Try this healthy and delicious side dish, a Food and Wine staff favorite! MAKE AHEAD: The beans can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Recipe by Engin Akin from Engin's Empire (Food and Wine, April 2001)

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 5 cups

• 2 lbs fresh cranberry beans , shelled (4 cups of shelled beans, You can also used canned cranberry beans)
• 1⁄3; cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 medium onions , finely chopped
• 3 medium tomatoes , peeled seeded and finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 cups water
• salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

1. Cook the beans in a large saucepan of boiling water until tender, 30 to 40 minutes; drain.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook over low heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer over moderate heat until the juices have evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, lemon juice, sugar, crushed red pepper and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the beans and water to the skillet and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the liquid has reduced to a glaze, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with the parsley.

Reviews

[mariposa13]

This makes a lot, so you may need to reduce if you want a smaller batch.

[libbysnax]

Very fresh tasting. Nice and light. Peeling and seeding the tomatoes was a pain, but it was worth it b/c it was right for the dish. Seemed a little one-dimensional. Would be best as a starter, or with added chicken for the carnivores. I didn't have enough cranberry beans, so I used half canned aduki beans. Tasted fine.