Cookbook Challenge # 12 - Grist

Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes by Abra Berens (2021) is what it says on the tin—an encyclopedic guide to working with both the well-known and more obscure members of those culinary families. As part of our Easter dinner, I made Cranberry Bean Salad w/ Roasted Carrots, which also entailed making one of the condiments from the front of the cookbook, Mojo de Ajo. It all came out pretty good, and certainly paired nicely with the ham. I’m not sure I’ll make the beans or mojo de ajo again, but I for sure will add those roasted carrots to my repertoire as a simple, spicy-sweet way to make use of an accessible, affordable vegetable.

Cranberry Bean Salad w/ Roasted Carrots

• 1 lb dried cranberry beans

• 1 onion, cut into chunks

• 10 sprigs thyme, tied in a bundle

• 3 bay leaves

• 1 tsp salt, plus more for the carrots

• 1 lb carrots, cut in half

• olive oil

• chili flakes

• 1 recipe Mojo de Ajo

• 10 sprigs cilantro, stems and leaves roughly chopped

• ½ cup pepitas, toasted

In a large pot, cover the beans with water by 2 inches. Add the onion, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender (anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes, depending on whether the beans have been soaked and their freshness). When the beans are tender, add the salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the herbs and discard.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Toss the carrots with a glug of olive oil, a couple pinches of salt, and a pinch of chili flakes. Roast the carrots until deeply caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside, about 40 minutes.

To serve, spoon a heaping serving of cooked beans per person into a bowl and gently fold in ¼ cup of mojo de ajo per serving. Transfer the beans into a serving dish or individual bowls, portion the carrots evenly among the serving dishes, and garnish with the chopped cilantro and a handful of pepitas.

Mojo de Ajo

• 1 cup neutral oil

• 20 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

• 2 sprigs oregano

• 3 limes, zest and juice

• 1 orange, zest and juice

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Combine the oil, garlic cloves, and oregano in a small ovenproof pot. Bake for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant.

Allow to cool. Remove the oregano sprigs, squeezing any oil clinging to the leaves back into the pot. Add the citrus zest and juice and a couple of pinches of salt. Stir to combine, lightly smashing the garlic clvoes with the back of the spoon to make a thick, oily sauce.