Pinto Beans and Parmesan Polenta

Oftentimes, when I am cooking, I am aware that it's just for myself. This means that I take part in the time-honored tradition of making a big batch of something and then eating it for days... and days. Now, if I love the food, I am not going to complain about this. This is a food I love. I will eat it ecstatically the night I cook it, happily the next day, and awkwardly straight from the fridge, standing at the counter.

Mind you, this is not the sort of meal you cook quickly after work - it requires planning. First of all, you have to soak the beans overnight. That's right, you get dried beans and you soak them. You can do this. Do not, regardless of what the bag tells you, convince yourself that boiling the water and then letting them sit for an hour actually cuts it. It does not. You will realize this at some point mid-bite, and you will be sad, so just take my word for it. Secondly, it requires the patience of a saint. You have to let it sit on the stove for at least an hour and a half at an extremely low heat to really get the flavor right. Patience is a virtue (not, interestingly enough, "avert you," as I so firmly believed as a child... and possibly teenager... moving right along).

The payoff of this patience is a really flavorful vegetarian dish that is even good for you.

Pinto Beans w/ Tomatoes and Parmesan Polenta

Bean Dish:
1 cup dried pinto beans, soaked and cooked
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes (spring for the good ones)
1 large onion, diced
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 tbsp butter
4 tsp oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes (Honestly, I probably use more, but that makes it pretty spicy)
3 garlic cloves, minced

Polenta:
1 cup polenta
1 cup water
2-4 cups skim milk
1/3-1/2 cup Parmesan

1) The night before, cover the dried beans in cold water (water level should be a few inches above the beans) and let sit overnight. Prepare according to package, though throwing some onions into the water when cooking the beans is always good.

2) In a medium pan/pot, melt butter. Add onions, garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano and red pepper flakes, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes. Add shredded carrot and saute for 2-3 minutes more.

3) Add tomatoes: breaking them up with your hands (just squeeze them as you drop them into the pot, but watch out for squirting!), stir into the onion mixture.

4) Reduce heat to pretty much as low as it can go and leave it, stirring occasionally for 1.5 or 2 hours. Add remaining oregano and salt/pepper to taste.

Polenta!

1) Mix 1 cup dried polenta with 1 cup of water and let sit while you bring 2-3 cups of milk to a boil. Whisk in polenta mix and let cook until done. The time varies way too much for me to put an estimate here. If it's too think, add water.

2) Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Spoon bean mixture over polenta and serve!