Kawa Ni's Chef Jeff Taibe's Recipe for Szechuan Stewed Beans

Jeff Taibe is currently the executive chef of Kawa-Ni in Westport bringing Izakaya style Japanese cuisine to CT. Chef Jeff's creative, simple and seasonal cooking style is his hallmark as seen in Kawa Ni's menu. Taibe will be at The Westport Farmers' Market Thursday, September 25th, 10:15 AM demo-ing and serving up a Kawa Ni favorite (well, one of my favorites), Szechuan Stewed Beans. 

If you can't make it to the market to watch Jeff in action, please enjoy his recipe for the incredibly delicious, Szechuan Stewed Beans below. 

Szechuan Stewed Beans

1# beans (flat/haricot vert from farmers market)

1# ground pork (from Craft Butchery in Westport)

3 shallots

3 cloves garlic

1 cup kimchee

1 tbs gochujang (Korean chili paste)

1 cup dashi

4 T butter

Fried shallots

Directions:

1. In a hot pan, heat 2T oil. 

2. Add pork; With a whisk break up clumps. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned. 

3. Strain- save fat and meat separately

4. In the same pan, add shallots and garlic. Cook for 1-2 min

5. Add kimchee and gochujang; Cook another 2 min. Add pork back to pan.  Mix well.  To keep moist add a bit of the reserved liquid. 

6.  You can either cool and reserve or you can use immediately

7.  If using now,  Preheat a fryer to 350 degrees

8. Put pork mix and dashi into a pan. Add butter.

9. Fry the beans until slightly shriveled and brown. Place on paper towel to absorb excess oil

10 Reduce liquid in the pan slightly add beans to pan. Reduce until still liquid but coats the beans. 

11. Season with salt and white pepper (if necessary)

12. Put beans on platter; top with remaining mixture.  

13. Optional- garnish with fried garlic, fried shallots or scallions.  

Terminology:

Dashi- a Japanese broth used as a base for most sauces, soups, etc.  

ingredients are konbu (kelp) katsuobushi (dried and smoked fish shaved into flakes). Optional, dried sardines and/or dried shiitakes.