IMBB # 11: Beans, Beans, That Musical Fruit: Meatless Vegetarian Meatballs

I think it's come to stay, that IMBB? thing - and it just keeps getting better and better! I for one was thrilled when I found out Cathy of My Little Kitchen had the honor of hosting this version, and that with the excellent theme of Beans, Beans and more Beans! Once upon a time, I thought beans a nasty thing - guess it's just one of those things you have to hate when you're a kid, like liver. I'd eat the odd green bean here and there, but it wasn't until I started cutting back on my meat-eating habits I grew to love them. Hummus, oh heaven, a bean salad, tuna and butter beans, a nice flavorfull cassoulet. I love their versatility and the beautiful colors and variety - in fact I think the only thing I'm not to keen on is their (sometimes more than other!) flatulence-producing efforts, but I've learned to live with it!;-)

So when I heard, I immediately reached for this one:



The Bean Book - look no further! It's a great book! As you can tell from the post-it stickers I have quite a few recipes from it I'd like to try out, so it wasn't that easy to pick. Fortunately, the answer wasn't far away. Sunday evening, me and boyfriend went out to eat, came back home, sat down to play Tiger Woods Golf on the Playstation SOMEONE gave us this Christmas (no, that couldn't have been me - I would never be so silly - tee-hee!) I've had to brace myself and stay away from it while reading for my exam - which I finished this Friday, thankyouverymuch (it did not go to well btw. Well, I don't know yet,it's a written one, but - ugh. The good thing is, right now is vacation, and there's nothing more I can do.

Now where was I? Oh yes. We got home, sat down, Playstation lit up - but hey, this weekend was IMBB, wasn't it? There you go Zarah - get ya butt in that kitchen and do something beany! What better to do than a late night snack of meat-less vegetarian meatballs then?

A quick trip to the shop got me:



PLUS



A little WHIZ-WHIZZIN'!



A little fryin'...



Hey they look kinda good!



-and back to the game!



The recipe - from The Bean Book

75 g. French beans, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons groundnut or vegetable oil
1 red pepper, core, deseeded and diced
4 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons mild chili powder
425 g (14 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
75. g. fresh white bread crumbs
1 egg yolk
oil, for shallow-frying
salt and pepper

Blanch the French beans - I usually just put them in a big bowl and pour boiling water on them, leave for a couple of minutes, the drain.
Sauté pepper, garlic and chili powder - I actually used smoked paprika instead, just because I luv the smokiness of smoked paprika!
Transfer the sautéd mixture to a food processor, and add the kidney beans, breadcrumbs and egg yolk. Process briefly until coarsely chopped. Add the drained French beans, season to taste with salt and pepper and process until the ingredients are just combined.
With lightly floured hands, or using a couple of spoons, make little balls or flat cakes if you prefer - out of the mixture. Fry them in a large frying pan, about 3 minutes on each side.

The recipe suggests to serve these with a lemon mayonnaise, but I think that would be way to fatty - they drank up the frying oil like teenagers let loose in a liquor store! I needed some lemon spritzed on, and the tartness of a Greek yoghurt did well too...

Now bean me up Scotty, what has everyone else been up to?