Human beans on toast
ingredients
3 pounds dried red kidney beans
1 large sweet yellow onion, peeled
2 dried ancho chiles, tops removed and seeded
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 pounds Cuban pumpkin (or any winter variety of squash), peeled, seeded, and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 sweet apples (such as McIntosh, preferably local)
1/2 cup honey
6 cups apple cider
3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tamari
3 dried ancho chiles, tops removed and seeded
3 dried guajillo chiles, tops removed and seeded
9 dried chiles de arbol, tops removed and seeded
1/4 cup squash seeds, rinsed and roasted
2 tablespoons pepitas, roasted
3 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 - 2 pound loaves of your favorite local deli bread, cut into 16 slices each
preparation
1. Rinse and sort beans, removing any stones. Pour into a container or bowl, cover with 1 gallon of water. Cover the container and let sit overnight.
2. Fill a medium-sized stock pot with 3/4 gallon of water. Drain the soaked beans and rinse. Add them to the stock pot. Bring the beans to a simmer and add the whole peeled onion, ancho chiles, black pepper, and salt. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, but up to 1 hour, until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Compost the onion and peppers.
3. Peel and seed the squash, reserving the seeds (to be used later). Rub with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Roast in a 400°F oven until very tender and caramelized, about 30 to 40 minutes. In a separate pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and add peeled, sliced apples. Sauté for 10 minutes, until they start to fall apart. Add honey and stir well, cooking an additional minute. Add the roasted squash and stir, mashing as you go. Add apple cider, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and tamari. Bring to a boil for just 2 to 3 minutes. Using a hand blender, purée on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture is super smooth.
4. In a large bowl, mix together beans and sauce. Add about 1 cup of reserved bean cooking liquid. Stir gently to combine. Pour into a 2-inch full-size hotel pan and put into a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, until the liquid thickens a bit and the beans soften a little more.
5. De-stem and de-seed all the dried chiles, chop into small pieces. Toast the cleaned squash seeds and pepitas in a low, 200°F oven for about 20 minutes. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat and add seeds and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until garlic starts to crisp up. Turn off heat and add chiles. Let cool down for about 10 minutes. Add vinegar, salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Transfer the salsa to a food processor and pulse until well incorporated and seeds break down a bit. Do not over blend.
6. Toast bread in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup of beans (best at room temperature) onto each piece of toast and then drizzle about 2 tablespoons of salsa on top. Garnish with any herb you like, though cilantro would be best.
This recipe can be made vegan by substituting a vegan bread or cracker option.
