Legumes and sauces

[sky]

In the past I have usually cooked legumes with vegetables and spices to give them flavor, and ended up with a somewhat thin soupy broth. I cook legumes in a pressure cooker or in a crock pot.

I would like to make a thick sauce with the legumes to put over rice, either curry, chili, spaghetti or herb and cream type sauces. I am thinking that the way to get a thick sauce is to cook the legume first, and cook the sauce on its own, adding the precooked legume at some time during the sauce cooking process.

Does anyone have some advice on how to get a thick, tasty sauce with legume dishes?

[EdithKeeler]

Have you tried just putting part of your beans and broth in a blender, whipping it, and then adding back in? I do that for black bean soup, but I'm not sure that's what you're looking for.

[sky]

I'm looking for ways to make sauces to put over rice.

My cooking skill level is low.

[EdithKeeler]

Typically cooks would mash some of the beans against the side of the pot after they cooked the beans to thicken them for red beans and rice. You could do that, thus controlling the thickness of the sauce. And of course you can let the beans cook down, let the liquid cook off some until the sauce gets to the thickness you like.

Alternatively, you could use thickeners to thicken the sauce--flour or corn starch, or mashed potato.

[Did]

Yeah just keep cooking with lid off till reduced.

But maybe what you want is a simple vegetable curry?

[Toska2]

I cook a dissimilar tasty starch and blend them together. Butternut squash, sweet potatoes or plantains mixed with lentils over rice, noodles or potatoes.

[steveo73]

Just less water or boil it for longer. I've been cooking for so long that a recipie for me is an idea. I then just follow my nose.

My advice is honestly less water and cook more often. Maybe you should follow the recipe on the pack.

[jacob]

I usually cook the beans separately and add them in last. That way I don't risk overcooking anything. Overcooked beans in particular are kinda mushy and getting them right makes a big difference in my opinion/to my taste. That should also make it easier not to add too much(*) water. Otherwise,

1) Boil/simmer the water off (reduction). [At the cost of more electricity or gas but also the best way to concentrate flavor)
2) The blender/mash trick. [Obviously you lose texture ... and you also have to clean the blender now.]
3) Use a roux. I do it the lazy way but spreading a tbsp of flour on top (thinly so you don't get clumps) and then stirring it in while bringing the whole thing to a boil. [If you overdo it (like half a cup of flour) it begins to affect the taste in a negative way.]

(*) Slow cooker recipes tend to be scaled pretty accurately for timing+water.

[sky]

I will try to cook the legumes in a broth of water, bullion cube and salt and throw the broth away after cooking the beans. Then I can use the beans as if they were canned beans.

[jennypenny]

If wheat/flour doesn't bother you, Wondra is an easy thickener. I use corn starch (mix it with a little cold water first before adding it to the sauce). You can also remove the beans, turn up the heat, and cook it down as others have said.

When I cook things that produce a lot of broth, I always remove at least half of the broth anyway before serving. I save it for cooking other meals or for cooking rice.

[GandK]

Does anyone have some advice on how to get a thick, tasty sauce with legume dishes?

Try overcooking a cup of the lentils of your choice by about 10 minutes (otherwise following normal cooking instructions). I find that this causes them to disintegrate on their own and become mushy. When combined with your other sauce ingredients, you should achieve the thickness you want. If you don't want the lentil skins in your sauce, strain the lentils with a fine metal strainer after cooking.

[bryan]

Wait, you can overcook beans??! What does it mean other than texture changes?

Good idea about making a roux. I'll give this a go next: pour/drain the liquid into a saucepan, roux it up, re-combine.

[jacob]

@bryan - Insufficient information I suppose we can do a science experiment. I've never cooked beans or lentils beyond the "mushy" stage in order to see what happens next, so I don't really know. However, to my taste, cooking beans is much like cooking spaghetti. I prefer "al dente" or a certain chewiness. Achieving "bean al dente" in a pressure cooker requires a bit of experience (or a digital timed unit). It's easy in a slow cooker but it takes a lot longer.

I wouldn't bother to transfer to a sauce pan for the roux. It's one more thing to clean.

Oh yes ... I forgot
4) Add oat meal. For real, it soaks up liquid like a sponge. This is even more dangerous than a roux. It's easy to end up with porridge-soup. Yuck!
5) Add bread crumbs. Same deal.

[GandK]

Wait, you can overcook beans??! What does it mean other than texture changes?

Nothing. You basically end up with the lentil version of frijoles (or refried beans, if you like). Add enough water to achieve the thickness you want, and you're good to go.

Also works with other beans or with peas, if you prefer. Lentils are my go-to due to absence of strong flavor.

[EdithKeeler]

It occurs to me that different beans have different "creaminess" factors. LIke, cannellini beans are very soft and creamy and break down easily when cooked--have thin skins. That might add a thickening factor to what you're making.

I can't quite tell if you're looking for tips or recipes, since you said you're kind of a beginner cook. Here are a couple of recipes that seem to follow the "thick sauce with beans over some rice" formula. I actually make a pretty close version of the black beans and rice recipe:

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/classic- ... -and-rice/

never made this, but I'm going to try soon. Yum!!
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... s-56389506

I love red beans and rice, and I recently discovered vegetarian andouille sausage. I haven't made red beans and rice with it yet, but I will soon.
http://www.camelliabrand.com/recipes/ne ... eans-rice/

this recipe uses potato as a thickener:
http://pinchofyum.com/one-pot-creamy-spinach-lentils

[KevinW]

Common ways of thickening:

- mix in something thicker: mashed beans, pureed vegetables, etc.
- boil off water (reduce); concentrates flavor but risks burning, can take a long time
- incidental starch from potatoes, pasta, corn, etc.
- corn starch or arrowroot
- roux
- gelatin (either as an ingredient, or indirectly from meat trimmings)

[bryan]

More good ideas for thickening.. think I will try throwing in a little potato next time.

Suppose I'm exposing my beginner skills in cooking by being so excited at what is common knowledge stuff for cooks.

I tried roux (separate pan) and it turned out fine, not quite a purée. Less than .25 cups of flour for a pot of lentils. This approach should save time versus boiling off (though if you really want to just reduce, you could separate the beans from the juices and reduce the juice faster on its own).