Monjetes

GARLICKY SAUTÉED WHITE BEANS

MAKES 3 CUPS; SERVES 4 AS A MAIN DISH OR 6 AS A SMALL PLATE

A cool thing happens when well-dried freshly cooked beans hit hot oil and sear hard. Their skins blister into a crackly delicate shell and the insides become extra tender and creamy. Monjetes are as good as they sound: a wonder of texture with toasty garlic and fresh parsley. This Catalonian bean dish is addictive on its own with a swipe of allioli in each bite and turns into a full meal with a side of sausages, such as Butifarra.

4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons blended oil, divided

3 cups Basic White Beans, very well drained, divided

1½ packed teaspoons minced garlic, divided

Kosher salt

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon packed, minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Aliolli for serving

HEAT 2 TABLESPOONS BLENDED OIL IN A VERY large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of the beans and shake the pan to get them in an even layer. Don’t touch them. Let sit so they turn golden brown on the undersides. Once they’re brown, shake the pan again to toss them. Continue cooking, tossing occasionally, until evenly golden brown and crusty, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a dish. Repeat with another 2 tablespoons blended oil and the remaining beans, transferring them to the same dish.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons blended oil and the garlic to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until golden brown and fragrant, about 1 minute. Return the beans to the pan, toss well, season with ½ teaspoon salt, and toss again. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the parsley and toss again. Taste and add more salt if you’d like.

Immediately transfer to a serving dish and serve right away with the allioli.

BASIC WHITE BEANS

MAKES 7 CUPS (2½ CUPS)

In some cases, you can swap canned beans for freshly cooked. Not so with Monjetes. You must start with these tender yet toothsome beans; canned ones turn to a greasy mush. Besides, it’s handy to have a basic bean recipe for anything from soups and stews to salads and starters. This is best made with the Ayacote Blanco beans from Rancho Gordo.

1 pound great Northern white beans or navy beans, broken beans discarded

1 smoked ham hock

½ small yellow onion

4 large garlic cloves, peeled

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

⅛ teaspoon whole black peppercorns

COVER BEANS WITH COLD WATER BY 3 INCHES IN a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the beans well and transfer to a stockpot.

Wrap the ham hock, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and peppercorns in a large piece of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen string. Transfer to the pot with the beans and add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches.

Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to low to maintain a bare simmer. Simmer until the beans are tender but still holding their shape, about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and strain through a colander.

If you want to make the beans ahead, cool to room temperature in the liquid, pour off some of the liquid, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Discard the sachet of aromatics.