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Birnen, Bohnen und Speck
Green beans, pears and smoked bacon
Birnen, Bohnen und Speck: Hamburg one-pot of green beans, pears and smoked bacon
Birnen, Bohnen und Speck is late-summer cooking from Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, made in August when green beans and small, firm cooking pears ripen at the same time in the Vierlande market gardens. A piece of smoked pork belly bacon is simmered until tender, and its smoky broth then cooks the beans, whole pears and potatoes, with summer savory to tie the sweet and salty together. It is one pot, served straight from the stove with the bacon sliced on top. Chef's tip: choose pears that are still hard; ripe dessert pears collapse into the beans.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the pot
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ lb green beanstopped and halved
- 6 small firm cooking pearswashed, stalks left on
- 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoespeeled and halved
- 4 sprigs fresh summer savory (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tbsp cornflourmixed with 2 tbsp cold water
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 1 ⅛ lb piece of smoked pork belly bacon (Speck), 4 ¼ cups water, 1 bay leaf and 6 black peppercorns in a wide pot, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently over a low heat for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 2: Add the 1 ⅓ lb waxy potatoes and 4 sprigs fresh summer savory (or 1 tsp dried) and simmer for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Lay the 1 ½ lb green beans around the bacon and stand the 6 small firm cooking pears on top so they steam. Cover and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the beans are tender and a knife slides easily into the pears. Common mistake: stirring now; it breaks the pears, so just shake the pot.
25 minStep 4: Lift out the bacon and pears. Stir the 1 tbsp cornflour mix into the broth and simmer for 2 minutes until lightly thickened. Season with ½ tsp black pepper; taste before adding salt, as the bacon is salty.
3 minStep 5: Slice the bacon thickly. Serve the beans and potatoes in deep plates with a pear or two, slices of bacon and a scattering of 2 tbsp chopped parsley.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does birnen, Bohnen und Speck take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of black peppercorns?
- Ground black pepper, a little less than the amount.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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