Stove-top Anasazi Beans

i came across this recipe in a cookbook i found in a bookstore in Kyoto, Japan. i don't remember which one. it looked good. i've made it a few times now, & it's pretty tasty.

Anasazi beans are small kidney shaped purple and white beans in the same family as pinto beans. They can be used in Latin American and Southwestern cuisines, and have a mild, sweet flavor which pairs with a mealy texture. Anasazi beans cook much more quickly than regular beans, and they appear to have been a part of the human diet in the Americas for thousands of years. The beans are also marketed as New Mexico cave beans, Aztec beans, New Mexico appaloosas, and Jacob's Cattle beans.'

Anasazi Beans

2 cups dried anasazi beans*, soak overnight
5 cups veggie broth, or water
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp nutmeg
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
¼ cup olive oil, divided
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup red & green pepper, diced
½ cup carrot, diced
1 Tbsp tomato paste, or to taste
¼ tsp salt, to taste
1 Tbsp black treacle (molasses), or a couple Tbsps of maple syrup, optional

in a soup pot, cook beans in spices & broth until half done. meanwhile sauté veggies in olive oil, then add to the beans, & let simmer until done. add tomato paste, salt & molasses, simmer to mesh flavours. finish with freshly squeezed lemon juice & 1 Tbsp olive oil.

(i've transfered the beans to a casserole dish for leftovers & easy storage)

* pinto beans are a lovely substitute, though this time i used navy & kidney beans. beans, of course, have varying cooking times, so cook separately. i must follow this advice next time.

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enjoy.