When Jose Andreas was recognized in 2018 by Time Magazine as one of the most influential people in the world, fellow chef Emeril Legasse wrote of him:
“Jose is an exceptional, generous, compassionate human being. His infectious philanthropic spirit reminds all of us that no matter your craft or passion, our most noble calling as human beings is to selflessly foster hope in and chase despair from the lives of others.”
Andreas is a chef by trade. He operates dozens of restaurants across the world (eight in Washington, D.C. alone!) and is widely credited with introducing the small plate concept to America. He is the co-author of the NY Times bestseller “Vegetables Unleashed” (with Matt Goulding)and has authored a number of other notable books. He also is the founder of World Central Kitchen, a non-profit that seeks to address poverty and hunger. World Kitchen feeds five thousand homeless people every day in Washington, D. C. Every day.
Among his many other humanitarian efforts, is the World Alliance for Clean Cookstoves which aims to replace dangerous, air-polluting cookstoves across the globe as a way to improve peoples’ lives and reduce dangerous climate emissions.
When tragedy strikes, whether it is Hurricane Maria or the California wildfires, Andreas assembles his team and feeds people in crisis. In the wake of Hurricane Maria, Andreas’ organization served more than 3.6 million meals to Puerto Ricans displaced by the hurricane. As his co-author Goulding says in the introduction to “Vegetables Unleashed,” “When Jose wanders, the world benefits.”
Did I mention that he is an immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1991 with $50 dollars in his pocket?
This is my adaptation of Andreas’ recipe for Pochas (simmered shelling beans). It’s wonderful.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 red bell pepper (diced)
- 1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 t. Spanish paprika
- 4 C. beans (I used Rancho Gordo Marcella beans but Andreas' recipe recommends cranberry beans among other types; I used one half pound of beans that had been soaked overnight and measured 4 C. after soaking)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 medium tomato
- 1 rib celery
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt
- Sliced red onion, chopped chives, sliced radishes, pickled jalapenos
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot and saute peppers. onions, garlic, and paprika. Saute for about 15 minutes total until the vegetables have caramelized.
- Add beans, carrot, celery, tomato, bay leaves, a few generous pinches of salt and enough water to cover the mixture by about 2 inches. Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for about 90 minutes (if using dry beans; 35-40 minutes if using beans that have already been cooked.)
- Use a slotted spoon to lift most of the carrots, celery and tomato that you have cooked with the beans out of the pot. Puree in a food processor with some of the cooking liquid. Return the puree to the pot of beans and cook for a few more minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt.
- Serve drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, chopped chives, sliced red radishes, sliced red onions.
- (Andreas suggests serving the beans topped with Piparras or other pickled peppers. I served my beans with pickled jalapenos.)
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You can buy “Vegetables Unleashed” here.
