2. Building Blocks

I love the way beans transform from seeds into silk. So many people agree with me, and have written eloquently on the texture of a perfectly cooked bean, so I won’t embarrass myself here by trying to compete with them.

But I will say this. I think beans are only as good as the building blocks you use to flavor them. And one of my favorite things about cooking, fermentation in particular, is that I can reach into the fridge and grab a jar of something I’ve made that’s grown funky with time, which adds a bit of brightness and brine to something that might otherwise feel just a bit too thick. I have a bottle of fermented hot sauce, a vibrant and sunny orange, that I love to add to stews and soups in need of a little spark. The flavor is a deep undercurrent of umami that gives way to the sharpness of the peppers, their heat tempered by salt and sugar and the weight of their cells breaking down.

When I cook, I rely heavily on these building blocks, layering flavors together simply because I have them at my disposal. The beauty of fermentation is that you can remember exactly where, and who, you were when you packed the peppers into the jar, measured out the salt, sealed it in a dark corner of the pantry. And when you add that sauce to what you’re cooking now, on a dark November evening, that memory can be just what you need.

Fermented Hot Sauce

Like most fermentation projects, this will take some time and can be easily adapted to your tastes. Two weeks will yield a bright sauce with a little bit of funk. I like to leave mine for much longer, letting the peppers slowly break down, spooning up some brine to use for other recipes while I wait.

Take about 8oz (225 grams) mixed assorted hot peppers and chop them finely. I like to use a mix of peppers in the same color family (yellows, reds, oranges), and try to get a blend that has a good mix of heat and flavor. To the chopped peppers add 2% by weight of kosher salt and sugar (about 5 grams each). Smash a few cloves of garlic and add to the peppers, mixing everything together thoroughly. Pack the pepper mixture into a clean jar, and top with room temperature water. Make sure the peppers are submerged in the brine.

Seal the jar and place in a dark, cool place. Open the jar every few days, making sure to release any built-up gas. After a few weeks, you can strain the peppers from the brine and blend, adding back as much brine as you need to get the blender going and create a smooth sauce. But I like to leave the peppers fermenting in the fridge, spooning the brine off the top and using to brighten up anything heavy. When I’ve reduced the brine by about half, I blend the sauce and store in the fridge for future use. The sauce will last several months, growing funkier over time.

Beans with Leeks and Fermented Hot Sauce

This is one of my favorite ways to eat beans. The hot sauce livens up the flavors that otherwise can feel a bit heavy. You can also use the fermenting brine in place of hot sauce.

Add 2 cups of dried beans, a healthy glug of olive oil, two pinches of salt, a crack of black pepper, and a spring of fresh rosemary or thyme to an instant pot or slow cooker (you can also do this on the stove, but you might want to soak your beans ahead of time and be prepared to wait a bit longer for the beans to properly cook). Top with water or homemade stock, if you have it available. Cook the beans (I let them go for 30 minutes on normal pressure in the instant pot, but they make take a few hours using other methods), until they are soft and tender.

Chop and clean two or three leeks, taking care to separate the layers and make sure all the grit is removed from the rings. When the beans are about ten minutes away from being fully cooked, sautée the leeks and a few crushed cloves of garlic in olive oil in a medium pot, letting them get slightly golden. Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine or vinegar.

When the beans are done, add them into the pan with the leeks, using some of the cooking liquid to keep the pot from getting too dry. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about ten minutes, until the beans and leeks begin to blend together and form a delicious stew.

Right before serving, turn off the heat add a splash (or two, or three) of fermented hot sauce and stir into the beans to combine the flavors. Ladle into bowls and serve topped with more hot sauce. Serve with crusty bread.