Beans and tomatoes are the of best friends; made just a tiny bit better with some homegrown dark, dark green fleshy chard (seskoula) leaves. Seskoula grows so easily and is a much revered vegetable in Zakynthos, used in many dishes from dolmades (a replacement for the vine leaves) through to this slow cooked dish of giant beans. Often served as meze, along with some sun dried olives and a little bread, this is a simple, healthy and delicious dish to share. In Zakynthos a little of the local ladotyri (feta cheese cured in olive oil) would be crumbled over the top, but you can just use some good quality Greek feta. Wait a least half an hour to an hour before serving. I’m tempted to say even longer, as this dish gets undeniably better after a good rest.
Gigantes me seskoula
Γίγαντες με σέσκουλα
Ingredients
- 100 ml EVOO
- 400 gr. butter or Lima beans
- 2 large onions diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 10 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1 tbsp Greek tomato paste
- 1 tsp chilli purée
- 2 fresh tomatoes diced
- 1/2 cup fresh dill finely chopped Salt, freshly ground pepper
Instructions
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The night before you want to cook the beans, put them in cold water. The next day drain the beans and boil them in cold water for an hour and a half. Add a little salt half an hour before the end of cooking. Drain the beans and keep 1-2 tablespoons of their juice.
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Wash the chard and separate the leaves from the stalks and chop them roughly.
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Heat the EVOO in a large non-stick pan; sauté the onion, garlic and green pepper, stirring constantly until soft. Add the chopped chard and dill, cover with a lid and steam until the chard starts to wilt. Next, add a layer of the beans and a little of the broth. Pour over the tomato purée and chilli purée diluted in a little hot water, plus the chopped tomatoes.
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Bake, uncovered in a preheated oven at 180C for 40 minutes. Crumble over the cheese and bake for another 15 minutes. Wait for half an hour to an hour before serving.
