BEAN BASICS
Before cooking, we recommend rinsing the beans in clear cold water at least twice and soaking them overnight in cold water, about 3 cups per cup of beans. Then rinse again, drain, and add the same amount of water to cook them. About an hour on medium-low heat will cook them enough to eat, but cook them to suit your taste or recipe. Season to taste and enjoy.
BEAN CONVERSION CHART
Handy guide to figuring out how many cooked cups you get from a dry cup or pound.
BEANS CONFIT
We like to make this recipe with our Mayacoba (yellow) beans, or the Cannellini beans we’re testing out right now. It’s so good that we served it at Molly’s wedding!
BEANS ‘N’ GREENS
3 cups Tiger Eye Beans or black-eyed peas
butter or oil
1 large onion, chopped
a few garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
2-3 bay leaves
1 large bunch of Swiss chard, kale, or other greens, chopped
salt and pepper
Put the beans/peas on to cook in water until just tender.
Heat a little butter or oil in skillet. And onions and garlic; saute with thyme and bay leaves until tender. After cooking peas/beans until just done, add onion mixture and chopped greens. Cook 1/2 hour longer. Remove bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Makes 8-12 servings. (If reheating, cook slowly in 1-2 cup organic chicken broth.)
WRITINGS AND RESOURCES ABOUT BEANS
Want really traditional beans? Check out this outdoor bean-cooking method from the New York Times.
Some of our favorite New York Times recipes and writings on beans:
Beans and Red Wine
Red Wine Pinto Beans
Bean Confit (this is one of our favorites – we served it at Molly’s wedding)
Many Dishes from One Pot of Beans
One Pot of Beans, Four Dinners
General bean-cooking questions and answers:
Safe bean cooking
When to salt your beans
BE-NO – a homemade flatulence-fighting recipe recommended by our friend Lucinda
Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon crushed mint
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
Mix the above ingredients together. Gulp it down just before your meal–or during. You can substitute crushed mint with sage or thyme.
BRESLIN FARMS 