Cranberry Bean with Zucchini, Acorn Squash Reduction with Corn and Marinara (No Added Fat)

I wanted to make a cranberry bean dish tonight. Here is what I did:


Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cranberry beans soaked in ample water overnight (I soaked for about 15 hours, but 8-10 hours would have been plenty), with water optionally occasionally changed
• Enough water to just cover the beans
• Small zucchini cut into 3/8" cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
• Medium bell pepper cut into 3/8" cubes (about a cup)
• 1T finely minced (1/8" or so) ginger root
• 1/2 medium onion cut into 3/8" cubes (approx. 1 cup), divided into 2 halves
• (optional) about a 3/4" length of a jalapeno diced into 1/4" cubes (maybe 2T - but, of course, this can be to taste)
• 1 T finely minced (approx. 1/8") ginger
• 1T lime (or lemon) juice (I used Meyer lemon)
• 1/4 t (or to taste) salt (I used kala namak)
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 1/4 t turmeric

Process

1. I drained and rinsed the beans, then, adding enough fresh water to barely cover them, cooked on high pressure for 27 minutes in my Instant Pot pressure cooker.
2. When I was ready to proceed, I slowly let out remaining pressure and opened the pot.
3. I added the zucchini, bell pepper, ginger, and 1/2 cup onion, then cooked on high pressure for another 2 minutes.
4. When I was ready to serve, I slowly released pressure, mixed in 1/2 cup onion, as well as the lime juice, salt, cumin, and turmeric, and served.

I also had some leftover butternut squash reduction. I added a little shallot, corn, and marinara sauce, and heated it for a nice side dish.

Results

Dinner was very good! At first I said that I loved the main course - I did, but then I came to like the side course even more. The main course was a no-brainer - how could creamy, well cooked beans not result in a nice dish? The more surprising dish was the quick side. I made for a client a thick acorn squash soup a few days ago simply by high pressure steaming for 9 minutes uncut squashes then easily cutting them open, removing the skins, then blending the pulp with some broth. On a whim, tonight, I decided to add the marinara and corn, and they both turned out to be great ideas. The marinara, besides flavor, added a unique color and tempered the bright squash yellow. The corn added good texture and flavor.

Ideas for the future

I should do more with squash reductions. If I had added bell pepper, I'd have had a "three sisters" dish. I like cooked zucchini but rarely use it anymore as my daughter doesn't like it (tonight she had eaten most of her dinner when we visited a new nearby coop that just opened this past Wednesday, so I felt fine in cooking with zucchini since I knew she'd not eat much more), but hope that I can more frequently use it in my cooking.