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Meat, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Mogettes and Vendée ham

Mogettes and Vendée ham is a dish of white beans simmered until tender, then finished in garlic butter and served with pan seared bone in ham. This easy recipe serves 4, takes 75 minutes and costs €2.90 per person. The key to success is soaking the beans ahead and salting them only at the end of cooking.

Tonight, we're tasting Vendée with melting mogette beans cooked in butter and garlic, and nice pan seared slices of ham.

Mogettes and Vendée ham
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
700 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Mogettes are white beans that turn creamy inside while keeping a thin skin, as long as you cook them gently in water before finishing them in garlic scented butter. The pan seared bone in ham next to them brings saltiness and crisp edges that contrast nicely with the soft beans. It's a simple dish, no complicated sauce, where every ingredient keeps its place.

This is a relaxed weeknight recipe once the beans have soaked, or a weekend lunch when you have time to let things simmer. Kids generally like the pan seared ham and the mild beans, with no chili or strong spice involved. It also makes a good dish to share on a fall or winter Sunday, when you want a warming meal that isn't heavy.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Dried white beans (mogettes)often in the pantry 350 g
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Butcher

  • Bone in ham 4 slices

Dairy

  • Butter 60 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Onion 1
  • Bouquet garni 1
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Soak the beans the night before or for at least a few hours in cold water.

    Discard the soaking water, it's what makes beans cause bloating.

  2. Place them in a pot of cold water with the onion and bouquet garni, and bring to a gentle simmer. 1 h

    Keep a very gentle simmer, the beans shouldn't burst.

  3. Drain them, keeping a bit of the cooking liquid, and salt at this point.

    Keep a glass of the broth to loosen the beans if they thicken too much.

  4. Melt the butter with the chopped garlic, add the beans and let simmer for a few minutes. 5 min

    Don't let the garlic brown, it would turn bitter.

  5. Sear the ham slices in a pan and serve them over the beans with parsley. 4 min

    Sear the ham quickly so it stays tender.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use mogettes from the latest harvest if you can find them, they cook faster and stay creamier than older dried beans.
  • Don't pull out the bouquet garni too early, let it infuse until you drain the beans so its flavor stays in them.
  • If you're short on time, start soaking the beans the night before so you can cook without waiting the next day.

The variations

  • Swap the bone in ham for thick pan seared deli ham, the flavor is milder but the dish still works well.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the ham and add a carrot and a celery stalk while the beans cook for extra flavor.
  • For a quicker kid friendly version, use canned white beans already cooked, rinse them and pick up the recipe from the butter and garlic step.

What to serve it with

  • A well dressed green salad
  • Grilled country bread
  • A glass of light red wine

Storage

The beans keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a closed container. They freeze well once cooked, before adding the ham. Reheat gently in a pot with a splash of water or broth so they don't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you cook mogettes without soaking them first?

Soaking is strongly recommended because it shortens cooking time and makes the beans easier to digest. Without soaking, expect a much longer cooking time and make sure the water always covers the beans.

Can you make mogettes ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the beans the day before and keep them in the fridge in their broth. The next day, just reheat them with butter and garlic before searing the ham.

Why shouldn't you salt the beans at the start of cooking?

Salt added too early toughens the skin of the mogettes and lengthens their cooking time. That's why you only salt them once they're drained and tender.

What ham works best for this recipe?

Traditional bone in ham gives the most flavor and stays closest to the original Vendée recipe. Thick deli ham also works well if you can't find bone in ham.

How long does it take to make a plate of mogettes and Vendée ham?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a plate of mogettes and Vendée ham?

About 700 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a plate of mogettes and Vendée ham cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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