Dried black-eyed beans
Black-eyed beans are pale, kidney-shaped seeds marked by a dark eye. Soak and simmer the dried beans until tender for soups, stews and Trieste jota.
- Recognizable marking
- A dark patch around the hilum gives each cream-colored bean its familiar “eye.”
- A soup bean
- Dried black-eyed beans are one of the bean choices in Trieste jota, where they simmer with broth before the sausage and potatoes are added.
Soak, then simmer
Rinse and sort the beans, soak them overnight in plenty of water, then drain. Simmer in fresh water or broth until tender before adding them to the soup.
Build a hearty bowl
Use the beans in jota with fermented cabbage, potatoes and smoked pork, or add them to a vegetable soup with a little cooking liquid.
Look for dry, whole beans
Choose intact cream-colored beans with the dark eye visible. Check that the package names black-eyed beans or fagioli dall’occhio.
Store dry and sealed
Keep dried beans in a cool, dry cupboard in a sealed container. Follow the package instructions and cook older beans until fully tender.
