The rumor that bean cooking is time consuming or difficult is false. In fact, in recent years eating beans has become a part of my daily life; I always liked them and cooked them occasionally, but now they’re a staple.

Beans—also known by their umbrella term, legumes—are among the most convenient, versatile, economical, and health-giving ingredients you can stock in your pantry. Many taste good enough on their own to eat nearly unadorned, with maybe olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper—or hot sauce. But they also act as a mirror for flavors that are cooked with them. This is exactly what makes them so perfect for Food Matters recipes: A little meat, poultry, or even fish goes a long way in a pot of beans; a slew of vegetables is almost always welcome; and in many dishes whole grains can play a fantastic supporting role.

Recently I’ve begun to use canned beans more often. (More than half of the dishes in this chapter offer the choice of using your own cooked beans or canned.) But I still don’t use them a lot, because I try to follow my own advice, which I cannot say loudly enough: Make a pot of beans (easier than ever; see page 350), and you’ll eat well for several meals. They keep in the refrigerator for days and freeze beautifully.

Here’s how this chapter is organized: A basic recipe, followed by simply seasoned bean dishes; beans with cheese or eggs; and, later, beans with fish, poultry, or meat. Recipes that feature tofu—which is made from soybeans—are included in this chapter if it is a featured ingredient and elsewhere when it plays a lesser role. The cooking times and icons will give you, at a glance, an indication as to which start with cooked (or canned) legumes and which are based on slowly cooked dried beans. None is difficult, and most require very little attention.

The majority of recipes here serve four as a main dish; the ones that might be considered “pantry staples” are calibrated to serve four with leftovers. Shopping information, tips, and more encouragement are sprinkled throughout the chapter.

Pot of Beans

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on bean and soaking option; largely unattended

I’m on a mission to make sure every fridge or freezer in America is stocked with a container of home-cooked beans, and this recipe is my ammunition. The process requires no advance soaking (though it’s certainly an option) and very little attention. Yet each batch provides the backbone for several meals.

What you get here is a basic pot of beans with lots of flavorful liquid. Scoop out the beans with a slotted spoon (or drain them), and you’ve got the equivalent of rinsed canned beans, only way better. (Or save their broth for delicious soups and stews.) Meat undeniably adds richness, and it doesn’t take much to do the trick. (See Adding Flavor to a Pot of Beans, page 352, for some flavoring and serving suggestions.)

The bean-cooking process is full of variables. How much time beans need to become tender and how much water they absorb depends on their age, type, growing conditions, the hardness of your water, and even the humidity of where they’ve been stored. In the end, though, none of that matters much because with a little patience it’s virtually impossible to go wrong. For more nuanced tips—including different ways to soak beans—see Spontaneity and Cooking Beans, page 353.

1 pound dried beans (any kind but lentils, split peas, or peeled and split beans), rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you like

Salt and black pepper

1. Put the beans in a large pot and cover them with cold water by at least 3 inches. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat so the mixture barely bubbles. Cover tightly and let the beans cook, undisturbed, for 30 minutes.

2. Taste a bean. If it’s at all tender (unlikely), add a large pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper. Make sure the beans are covered with about 1 inch water; add a little more if necessary. If the beans are still hard, don’t add salt yet and keep covered with 2 to 3 inches water.

3. Again make sure the liquid is just barely bubbling and cover. Check the beans for doneness every 10 to 15 minutes and add more water if necessary, a little at a time. Small beans will take as little as 15 minutes more; older large beans can take up to an hour or more. If you haven’t added salt and pepper yet, add them when the beans are just turning tender. Stop cooking when the beans are done the way you like them. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4. Here you have a few options. Drain the beans (reserving the liquid separately) to use them as an ingredient in salads or other dishes where they need to be dry, or finish them with one of the ideas from the list on page 352. (Or store the beans and use with or without their liquid as needed. They’ll keep in the fridge for days and in the freezer for months.)

Pot of Lentils or Split Peas. No need to soak, since they cook fast—usually in less than 30 minutes. Put them in a large pot and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the liquid bubbles gently. Cover tightly and cook, stirring infrequently and checking for doneness every 10 to 15 minutes; add a little more water if necessary. When they start to get tender, add a large pinch of salt and several grinds of black pepper; stop cooking when they’re done the way you like them. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Use immediately or store.

Pot of Fresh (or Frozen) Shell Beans. For limas, favas, edamame (in or out of the pod), and the like: Cook like vegetables. Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the beans and cook until just tender, testing one every now and then. This can be as quick as a few minutes for frozen beans, or up to 30 minutes for freshly shelled beans. Drain, reserving the liquid if you like, and serve or refrigerate for later.

Refried Black Beans

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes with cooked or canned beans

Lard is traditional in refried beans, and if you eat butter without fear, you shouldn’t be worried about a little pig fat. (Hydrogenated vegetable shortening has been proven to be much worse for you than either lard or butter.) But if you can’t get behind the idea, just use olive oil.

If you want lard, you can get it from a butcher, buy it in a supermarket, or render your own. To do so, cook fresh pork fat (or salt pork or even bacon) over medium-low heat in a skillet for about 10 minutes, remove the solids with a slotted spoon, and you’re all set. As a bonus, any leftover cooked bits of meat make a delicious garnish for refried beans (as do queso fresco, sour cream, and cilantro).

Red or pinto beans are the classics for frijoles refritos.

⅓ cup lard or drippings from bacon, fresh pork belly, or salt pork; or olive oil

4 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained, liquid reserved

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon cumin, or to taste

¼ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

1. Put the fat in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the beans and mash with a large fork or potato masher until they’re as smooth as you like.

2. Add the onion, cumin, and cayenne and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, mashing and stirring, until the beans are more or less broken up (some remaining chunks are fine) and the onion is lightly cooked, about 5 minutes more. As you stir, add a little bean liquid as necessary to get the texture you want. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for months).

Refried Beans with Hominy. Like eating beans and tortillas. Substitute 1 cup cooked or canned hominy for 1 cup of the black beans.

Puréed White Beans with Tons of Fresh Herbs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 10 minutes with cooked or canned beans

This purée has a stunning green color from all of the fresh herbs and is the perfect dip—warm, cold, or at room temperature—for toasted bread or crudités. Or serve it as a main dish under bits of crumbled bacon, sausage, or prosciutto, or a small piece of simply cooked chicken or fish.

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for garnish

1 leek, white part and some of the green, trimmed, well rinsed, and chopped; or 1 onion, chopped

1 cup chopped mixed mild herbs, like parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, or chervil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, tarragon, or thyme

3 cups cooked or canned cannellini, navy, or other white beans, drained, liquid reserved

About 1 cup bean-cooking liquid, stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140), or water, or more as needed

Salt and black pepper

1. Put the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped herbs and cook a minute or 2 more.

2. If you want the mixture super-smooth, transfer it—along with the beans—to a blender, food processor, or food mill and process, adding as much liquid as you need to make a smooth but not watery purée. If you want a lumpier texture, mash the beans right in the pan with a fork or potato masher, adding liquid slowly to get them as soupy as you like.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; taste and add more if necessary. Heat and serve immediately or keep warm over low heat for up to an hour or so. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Hummus Served Hot

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 20 minutes with cooked or canned chickpeas

The first time I ate this was in Turkey, and it stunned me. But why? Of course, hummus, a Middle Eastern staple, has uses beyond sandwich spread or meze platter. Served warm, it makes an elegant, fondue-like dip, sauce, or side dish. Offer this as an appetizer in a large bowl alongside crudités of all sorts: cubes of cooked potato, eggplant, or crusty bread, or strips of pita for dipping. You can also serve this mixture on grains, with pasta, or straight up as an alternative to mashed potatoes.

3 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved

1 or 2 garlic cloves

¼ cup olive oil, or to taste

¼ cup tahini, or to taste

Salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the chickpeas with ½ cup of their cooking liquid (or water) in a blender, add the garlic, oil, and tahini, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Purée for a minute or 2 until the mixture is very smooth. Add more cooking liquid, oil, or tahini as you like until the consistency is like a smooth dip or thick soup. (Refrigerate for up to a couple days or freeze for months.)

2. Transfer the purée to a medium saucepan over medium heat (or use the microwave); heat through while stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve warm, garnished with parsley.

Quick Lima Bean and Pea Stew

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 20 minutes with frozen beans

With fresh beans and peas, this is a springtime revelation, but even in midwinter, with frozen limas and peas, it’s a real treat. The secret ingredient? Shredded romaine lettuce, which melts into the mixture, adding body and unexpected flavor. Serve with toasted whole grain bread, although it’s also nice with Whole Grain Bread Salad with Dried Fruit (page 156).

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 shallots, chopped

2 to 4 anchovy fillets, chopped, optional

½ cup dry white wine

1 cup vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138) or water, or more as needed

3 cups fresh or frozen lima beans

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

½ cup chopped fresh mint or parsley, plus more for garnish

Salt and black pepper

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Put the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the shallots and anchovies if you’re using them, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the wine, raise the heat a bit, and cook for a minute, stirring to loosen the bits on the bottom of the pot, until some of the liquid bubbles away. Add the stock and lima beans. Bring to a boil and lower the heat. Cover and bubble gently until they begin to get soft, anywhere from 10 minutes for frozen to 15 minutes or more for fresh. Add more liquid if the mixture seems too dry.

3. Remove 1 cup of the limas, mash them roughly with a fork or potato masher, and return to the pot along with the lettuce, peas, mint, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lettuce is disintegrating and the mixture has thickened, about another 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with more mint and the grated Parmesan.

Quick Lima Bean and Olive Stew. Use ½ cup chopped black olives, preferably oil-packed, instead of the peas, and use chopped spinach instead of the lettuce. Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Stir-Fry with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 30 minutes with cooked lentils

Precooked lentils are so useful that it makes total sense to cook extra. Once you do that, it’s a snap to make this one-skillet dish, which you can serve with good bread or rice; or make the variation, an approximation of mujaddarah, a dish popular throughout the Middle East that adds rice to the skillet. Lentil cooking water and porcini soaking water are both invaluable liquids; you can use either (or a little of both) to moisten the stir-fry and save the rest to flavor other dishes.

½ cup dried porcini mushrooms, optional

Boiling water as needed

2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed

2 onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 pound mushrooms, preferably an assortment, sliced

3 cups cooked lentils, drained, liquid reserved

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

Salt and black pepper

1. If you’re using the porcini, put them in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soak for about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and roughly chop.

2. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they are dark brown but not burned, about 15 minutes; then remove them from the skillet.

3. Add a little more oil to the pan if it’s very dry and add the fresh mushrooms and the porcini if you’re using them. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the mushrooms cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes to release their liquid. Remove the cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are dry, shrunken, and slightly crisp, about 5 minutes more.

4. Stir in the lentils, ¼ cup or so of the lentil cooking water (or porcini soaking water), and the thyme; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until everything is heated through, about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the caramelized onions.

Lentil and Rice Stir-Fry with Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions. Substitute 1 cup cooked brown rice for 1 cup of the lentils; add more water if needed to keep the mixture moist as it cooks.

Easiest Dal

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes, largely unattended

Dal is the Indian word for beans and also describes any dish made with them. Here is the basic rendition, most often made with lentils but sometimes with yellow split peas, pigeon peas, or mung beans. (In other words, you can use any small bean, pea, split pea, or lentil you have.)

Dal presents the perfect opportunity to try other Indian seasonings, like chaat masala or garam masala; if you have either, use it instead of the curry powder. Using coconut milk for some or all of the water will make the dal rich and slightly sweet. Or vary the recipe by adding even more vegetables or by stirring in a tarka-spiced butter at the end. See the variations and the recipe on page 362 for some ideas.

1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and picked over

1 small cauliflower (or ½ large), cored and cut into chunks, optional

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 dried mild chile (like ancho), optional

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil, optional

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Combine all the ingredients except the salt, pepper, butter or oil, and cilantro in a saucepan. Add water to cover by about 1 inch and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary (the mixture should be saucy but not soupy), until the lentils and cauliflower are tender, 25 to 35 minutes.

2. Fish out the chile if you used it, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir in the butter or oil if you’re using it. (The recipe can be made ahead to this point. Refrigerate for up to a couple days or freeze for months; gently reheat before proceeding.) Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the cilantro, and serve.

Easiest Dal with Extra Flavor. Seasoning the butter or oil before stirring it in (a technique known as adding a tarka) gives the dal an incredible flavor boost. Reserve the curry powder instead of using it in Step 1. Increase the butter or oil to 3 tablespoons and put it in a small pot over medium heat. Add the curry powder and cook until the spices are toasted and very fragrant but not burning, just a minute or 2. Proceed with the recipe.

Easiest Dal with Peanut Sauce. Follow the directions in the first variation but add 1 tablespoon peanut butter to the tarka along with the butter.

Dal with Lots of Vegetables

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes, largely unattended

In India, dal is often a thin lentil stew, but whenever vegetables or meat are available, they’re added. In any case, the stew is cooked a long time, so the vegetables melt into the lentils and absorb all the seasonings from the cooking liquid. No need to be finicky about the variety of vegetables you use—leafy greens, root vegetables, squash, and tomatoes all work.

This recipe isn’t difficult by any means, though browning the vegetables in batches (unless you have an extremely large skillet) helps to develop deep flavors. To streamline the process, try the first variation; it’s also good.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 cups cauliflower florets and stems cut into bite-size pieces

1 cup cubed eggplant (salted, rinsed, and dried if you like)

1 cup cubed zucchini

4 cardamom pods

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

2 whole cloves

Black pepper

1 dried mild chile (like ancho), optional

1 cup dried brown or red lentils, washed and picked over

Salt

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Put the oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes; remove from the pot.

2. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the cauliflower, and cook, stirring, until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the cauliflower and add a little more oil to the pan to prevent sticking. Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook, stirring, until browned, another 5 to 10 minutes. Add the cardamom, mustard seeds, cloves, a lot of black pepper, and the chile if you’re using it. Stir until the spices are fragrant but not burning, just a minute or 2.

3. Return the onion mixture and the cauliflower to the pot along with the lentils and water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary (the mixture should be saucy but not soupy), until the lentils are tender, 25 to 35 minutes. (The recipe can be made ahead to this point. Refrigerate for up to a couple days or freeze for months; gently reheat before proceeding.) Remove the cardamom pods, cloves, and chile. Sprinkle with salt, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the cilantro and serve.

Quickest Dal with Lots of Vegetables. Omit the cardamom, mustard seeds, and cloves and substitute 2 tablespoons curry powder, chaat masala, or garam masala (see the headnote on page 360). In Step 1, put the oil, butter, vegetables, lentils, and seasonings all in the pot at the same time and cover with water by about 2 inches. Cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 25 to 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish and serve.

Dal with Lots of Vegetables and Chicken. After putting the oil and butter in the pot in Step 1, turn the heat to medium-high. When it’s hot, add 8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into chunks. Cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic and cook and stir for about 5 minutes more. Proceed with the recipe.

Super-Lemony Kidney Beans

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: About 3 hours, largely unattended

Based on an Afghan dish called lubia chalow, this soupy bean stew begins with quick preserved lemons, a staple of Middle Eastern cooking. Usually the lemons are left whole or halved, heavily salted, and set aside to cure in a mixture of spices and their own juice. Chopping the fruit helps speed the process considerably with delicious (if not entirely authentic) results. Six lemons are enough so that you can use some of the mixture for the beans and store the rest in a jar in the fridge for later. (They get better and better with age.) These beans are good served over basmati or jasmine rice with a dollop of yogurt.

6 lemons

Salt

⅓ cup olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

4 cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

1 dried mild chile (like ancho)

¼ cup tomato paste

1 pound dried kidney beans, rinsed and picked over; don’t bother to soak them

Black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh mint, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Trim the ends from 4 of the lemons; quarter them, remove the seeds, and put them (rind included) in a food processor. Add the juice of the remaining 2 lemons to the food processor (again, without the seeds) along with 2 teaspoons salt. Pulse several times to chop the lemons into bits but don’t purée. Put the mixture in a jar and leave it on the counter while you cook the beans; shake it every once in a while.

2. Put the oil in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute more. Stir in the cumin, mustard seeds, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and dried chile; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or so. Stir in the tomato paste.

3. Add the kidney beans and water to cover by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, and bake for 90 minutes (you can ignore the beans this whole time). After 90 minutes, stir the beans and check to see if they are tender. If they are, add water if necessary to keep the beans covered by about 1 inch and stir in ½ cup of the pickled lemons. Cover and continue baking for another 30 minutes. If the beans are not yet tender, make sure they are covered by about 2 inches water and don’t add the lemons yet. Cover the pot and check again in 30 minutes; repeat this step as necessary until the beans are tender enough to add the lemons.

4. When the beans are completely tender and the liquid has thickened, fish out the cinnamon stick and chile if you like (and the cardamom pods if you can find them easily). Then taste and adjust the seasonings, adding pepper and some more of the lemons if you like. Serve, garnished with the mint. (You can make the beans ahead and refrigerate them for up to several days; gently reheat before serving.)

Super-Lemony Baked Kidney Beans with Chicken. Start by browning 4 bone-in chicken thighs on both sides in the oil and remove them before adding the onions. Return the chicken to the pot along with the beans in Step 3. When the beans are done, remove the chicken, pull or cut the meat off the bones, and stir it back into the pot.

Edamame Cakes with Soy Drizzling Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 30 minutes

Edamame generally stay firmer than other beans with smooth interiors, so they add a pleasant texture to these green-tinted griddle cakes. Make them silver-dollar size for an addictive appetizer (serve a bowl of the sauce alongside for dipping) or make larger patties for a main course—they’re great with plain rice or millet and some simply cooked greens.

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar or sake

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon minced garlic, optional

1 teaspoon minced ginger, optional

2 cups fresh or frozen edamame

1 egg

½ cup sliced scallions

Whole wheat, brown rice, or all-purpose flour as needed

Salt and black pepper

Vegetable oil, for frying

1. Heat the oven to 200°F. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, half the sesame oil, sugar, and garlic and ginger if you’re using them, in a small bowl.

2. Add the edamame to the boiling water and cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

3. Transfer the beans to a food processor and pulse a couple of times to break them down, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, egg, and scallions. Process until combined but not finely puréed; you want a thick batter with some texture that drops from a spoon. If the mixture is too stiff, stir in a little of the reserved cooking liquid; if too wet, add a little flour. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined.

4. Put a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When a few drops of water dance on its surface, add a thin film of oil. Working in batches, spoon on the batter, making any size pancakes you like. Cook until the top sets and the bottom is browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for a couple minutes more. Keep the finished griddle cakes in the warm oven while you finish the others. Serve hot or at room temperature with the soy drizzling sauce.

Edamame Pancakes with Sesame-Chile Sauce. Before making the pancakes, toast 1 or 2 dried hot red chiles (like red Thai, chipotle, or pequín) in a dry skillet over medium heat for a minute or 2 on each side, then soak them in boiling water until soft, 15 to 30 minutes. Drain the chiles and remove and discard the seeds and veins if you like. Purée in a food processor or blender with 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and the remaining drizzling sauce ingredients, adding a few drops of water if necessary, until smooth. Proceed with the recipe from Step 2.

Edamame Pancakes with Miso Drizzling Sauce. Whisk together 2 tablespoons any miso paste, ¼ cup warm water or sake, 1 teaspoon mirin or honey, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, and a little salt. Serve the pancakes with this instead of the soy drizzling sauce.

Tofu Chili with Soy Sauce

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 2 hours, largely unattended

Soy sauce and tomatoes are a wonderful combination, and along with the tofu, they contribute to making this unconventional chili a real winner. The tofu takes on a tremendous amount of flavor by the time the beans are done cooking, and the texture becomes surprisingly meaty. On the flip side, if you want the tofu to lend a little of its own flavor to the chili, try starting with smoked tofu.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 block firm or extra-firm tofu (about 1 pound), blotted dry

1 bunch scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 teaspoons five-spice powder, or ½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 dried hot chile (like Thai), or to taste

One 28-ounce can tomatoes, chopped; include their juice

2 cups dried black, pinto, or soy beans, rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you like

2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more for serving

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup chopped peanuts, for garnish

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, crumble in the tofu and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add all but a handful of the scallions, the garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring and scraping frequently, until the vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the five-spice powder, dried chile, tomatoes, and beans. Add water to cover, bring the pot to a boil, and adjust the heat so that the beans bubble gently. Cover and cook, stirring every now and then; check the beans for doneness every 15 minutes or so and add more water if necessary a little at a time.

3. When the beans begin to soften (30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of bean and whether or not you soaked them), add the soy sauce. Cook, stirring and checking, until the beans are completely tender, another 15 to 30 minutes. (The chili can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to a few days or frozen for months; gently reheat before proceeding.) Fish out the chile if you like; taste and add lots of pepper, and salt if necessary. Serve, garnished with the remaining scallions, the peanuts, and cilantro. Pass soy sauce at the table.

Tempeh Chili with Soy Sauce. Substitute tempeh for the tofu. Make sure it’s well browned in Step 1, which might take another 5 minutes. Proceed with the recipe.

Bean Fritters

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 1 hour, plus 24 hours to soak the beans

You can use this same method with any bean or lentil—falafel is made this way, with a combination of chickpeas and favas, or one alone—but you must start with dried beans. Instead of cooking them, you just soak them for a long time until tender enough to grind. Some will soften sooner than others, but they can only absorb so much water, so better too long a soak than too short. As long as you drain them thoroughly and don’t add too much liquid to the batter, they’ll fry up just fine.

If you’re tentative about deep-frying, flatten the fritters a bit and bake them on a well-greased sheet pan in a 400°F oven until they’re browned on both sides (flip them if necessary), which will take anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes total, depending on their size. They’ll be good but not as crisp or juicy as fritters fried in oil.

1¾ cups dried beans (any kind), lentils, or split peas, rinsed and picked over

2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

1 small onion, quartered

1 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice, or to taste

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 to 4 inches. Soak for 24 hours or longer for larger beans or 12 hours for lentils or split peas; add more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged.

2. Drain the beans well and transfer them to a food processor with all the remaining ingredients except the oil; pulse until puréed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to allow the machine to do its work but keep the mixture as dry as possible. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, herb, or lemon juice as needed.

3. Put at least 2 inches of oil in a large, deep saucepan. The narrower the saucepan, the less oil you need, but the bigger the pan, the more fritters you can cook at the same time. Turn the heat to medium-high and heat the oil to about 350°F (a pinch of batter will sizzle immediately). Carefully drop heaping tablespoons of the bean mixture into the hot fat. Fry in batches, without crowding, until nicely browned, turning as necessary; total cooking time will be less than 5 minutes. As they finish cooking, drain them on towels. Serve immediately.

Bean-and-Carrot Fritters. Reduce the quantity of dried beans to 1¼ cups and add 1½ cups shredded carrots to the food processor in Step 2.

Braised Chickpea Fritters and Vegetables

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 1½ hours, plus 24 hours to soak the beans

Bean fritters, which are much like falafel, are common throughout the Mediterranean, Middle East, Africa, and India. In this Ethiopian-inspired recipe, they’re braised in a spicy tomato sauce with potatoes and collard greens. (For a totally different flavor profile, see the variation.) Since this recipe is a little labor-intensive, I like to make a big batch and build a party around it. Serve with brown rice or Easy Whole Grain Flatbread (page 512).

1¾ cups dried chickpeas

Double recipe of All-Purpose Tomato Sauce (page 194), made without the 3 optional ingredients (see Step 1)

2 tablespoons minced ginger

2 tablespoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon each allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric

Pinch of cayenne, optional

1 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 bunch collard greens (about 1 pound), cut into ribbons

2 garlic cloves

1 small onion, quartered

1 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Salt and black pepper

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1. Put the beans in a large bowl and add water to cover by 3 to 4 inches. Soak for 24 hours (add more water if necessary to keep the beans submerged). Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce (see page 194) in a large pot or Dutch oven. Instead of using the optional ingredients, add the ginger, garlic, and the spices to the onions as they cook in Step 1. (You can make the sauce up to this point several days ahead of time and refrigerate; gently reheat before proceeding.)

2. When you’re ready to finish the dish, add the potatoes to the sauce and adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily. Cover and cook until almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the collards and turn off the heat.

3. Drain the beans well and transfer them to a food processor with all the remaining ingredients except the oil; pulse until minced, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to allow the machine to do its work but keep the mixture as dry as possible. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.

4. Put at least 2 inches of oil in a large, deep saucepan; the narrower the saucepan, the less oil you need, but the bigger the pan, the more fritters you can cook at the same time. Turn the heat to medium-high and heat the oil to about 350°F (a pinch of batter will sizzle immediately). Carefully drop heaping tablespoons of the bean mixture into the hot fat. Fry in batches, without crowding, until nicely browned, turning as necessary; total cooking time will be less than 5 minutes. As they finish cooking, add them to the tomato sauce.

5. When all the fritters are done, bring the tomato sauce back to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture gently bubbles. Cook, adding more water as necessary to keep it from sticking, until the fritters soak up some sauce and the greens and potatoes are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve.

Braised White Bean Fritters and Vegetables. Substitute dried white beans for the chickpeas, a large eggplant for the potatoes, and escarole for the collards. Omit the ginger, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, and turmeric from the tomato sauce in Step 1; instead make the sauce with the optional basil and cheese called for in the sauce recipe (page 194) and proceed.

Braised Bean Dumplings and Vegetables. Follow either the main recipe or the first variation. Instead of frying the fritters in vegetable oil in Step 4, drop the batter into the simmering sauce with a spoon after adding the collards. Cover the pot and cook until the dumplings are firm and cooked through, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on their size.

Black Beans Cooked Purple

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1½ to 2½ hours, largely unattended

Cooked grated beets and red cabbage add a hint of sweetness and terrific earthiness to these black beans, as their flavors contribute mightily to the cooking liquid. Serve this (or the equally colorful variation) over baked potatoes or whole wheat egg noodles.

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces crumbled smoked or cooked sausage, or chopped smoked ham

1 large red onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried, or to taste

1 pound beets (about 2 large), peeled and grated

½ head red cabbage, grated

1½ cups dried black beans, rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you like

Salt and black pepper

Dijon mustard, for serving

1. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, garlic, and sage, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is soft and golden, 5 to 10 minutes more.

2. Add the beets and cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and deeply colored, 15 to 20 minutes. Add the beans and enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat so it bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring once in a while and adding water if necessary, until the beans are tender, 45 minutes to 2 hours.

3. When the beans are tender and the stew has thickened, season with salt and pepper. Serve, passing the mustard at the table.

Pinto Beans Cooked Orange. Substitute dried pinto beans for the black beans and 1½ pounds grated pumpkin or winter squash for the beets and cabbage. Omit the mustard. Garnish with chopped hazelnuts or almonds if you like.

Beans Rancheros

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes with cooked or canned beans

Smoky, spicy, roughly mashed beans are a wonderful bed for baked eggs. Double the recipe for a crowd (and use a 9 × 13-inch baking dish). You can even add more eggs without changing the cooking time, and you only have to use one pan. The presentation is gorgeous, too. Serve the beans with warm corn tortillas, chips, or rice or potatoes on the side.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups cooked or canned pinto or black beans, drained

1 or 2 canned chipotle chiles, minced, with some of their adobo sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and black pepper

2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped

4 eggs

¼ cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking dish or ovenproof skillet with the oil. Add the beans, chipotles and adobo, cumin, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper and roughly mash the mixture with a potato masher or fork. Stir in the tomatoes and transfer the pan to the oven.

2. Bake until the mixture is hot, bubbly, and some of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. (The dish can be prepared ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to a day; bring to room temperature before proceeding.)

3. Make 4 indentations in the beans with the back of a spoon. Crack 1 egg into each hole, sprinkle the eggs with salt and pepper, and return the pan to the oven. Bake until the yolks are still jiggly and the whites have turned opaque (or longer if you want the eggs cooked firm), 10 to 20 minutes. Garnish with the scallions and serve with lime wedges.

Cheesy Beans Rancheros With or Without Eggs. Top each egg with 1 tablespoon grated cheddar or Jack cheese or crumbled queso fresco, or simply substitute the cheese for the eggs if you like.

Mashed Favas with Warm Tomatoes and Feta

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes with fresh, frozen, or cooked dried beans

Fava beans come in many forms (see page 349), and you can use any of them in this recipe. If you have the time to cook a batch, dried favas (the most traditional) will give you a nuttier flavor and a deep, coffee-colored dish with complex flavors. (Buy split dried favas instead of whole, or you’ll have to squeeze them out of their skins after you cook them.) Fresh or frozen shelled favas—the green ones that look like neon lima beans—have a brighter taste and are by far the most convenient.

3 cups fresh, frozen, or cooked dried fava beans

1 cup stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140), water, or bean-cooking liquid

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or mint, for garnish

Lemon wedges

1. Put the favas, ½ cup of the liquid, the lemon juice, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. As the beans begin to heat, roughly mash and stir them with a potato masher or fork. If they begin to stick to the skillet, add more liquid—a little at a time—to loosen them to the consistency you like. Transfer the beans to a shallow serving bowl or platter.

2. Wipe out the pan, add the oil, and return it to medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, feta, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and cook, stirring, only until the tomatoes are warmed through and the cheese softens, just another minute or 2. Spoon the tomato and feta mixture over the mashed favas, making sure to drizzle the pan juices over everything. Garnish with the herb and serve with lemon wedges.

Mashed Cannellinis and Potatoes with Gorgonzola

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes with cooked or canned beans

With soothing potatoes, pungent Gorgonzola, and creamy cannellinis, this is comfort food, modernized. And it’s perfect for any time you’ve got a leftover baked potato in the fridge. Cannellinis are ideal for rough mashing because they almost perfectly mimic potatoes. This dish is even better if you use roasted garlic (for homemade, see page 421)—a full head, or even more—instead of fresh.

1 large all-purpose or baking potato, cooked or raw

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or lavender, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans, drained, liquid reserved

¼ cup half-and-half or whole milk

½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and black pepper

1. If you haven’t cooked the potato yet, cook it whole in the microwave until tender, or cut it into chunks and cook it in boiling water until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Once cooked (or if already cooked), peel the potato.

2. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring, until fragrant, just a minute or 2. Add the cannellinis, potato, half-and-half, Gorgonzola, and a splash of bean-cooking liquid or water.

3. Mash and stir the beans and potato with a fork or potato masher, adding a little more bean liquid or water if the mixture begins to stick to the pan. Once it’s hot and the consistency you like, stir in the parsley. Taste and add some salt and pepper. Serve.

Ultrasmooth Mashed Cannellinis and Potatoes with Gorgonzola. Put the beans and potato through a potato ricer or food mill before adding them to the pan in Step 2.

Twice-Baked Mashed Cannellinis and Potatoes with Gorgonzola. This works with either the main recipe or the above variation. Heat the oven to 450°F. Toss 1 cup bread crumbs (preferably whole grain and homemade) with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ cup parsley if you like. Put the bean mixture in a 9-inch baking dish or ovenproof skillet and spread the bread crumbs out on the top. Bake until hot, bubbly, and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

White Bean and Shrimp Burgers

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes with cooked or canned beans

You can give these the hamburger treatment, and either serve them on buns with the usual condiments or eat them as unadorned patties with a couple of side dishes. For an appetizer, roll them into bite-size fritters. Or double the recipe and bake the mixture in a loaf pan (see page 333).

Change the flavorings just as easily: Try stirring in ginger, garlic, chiles, soy sauce, fresh herbs, citrus zest, or a blend like curry or chili powder—alone or in combination.

1 large garlic clove

8 ounces shrimp, peeled (see page 22)

2 cups cooked or canned white beans, well drained

¼ cup roughly chopped chives or scallions

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup olive oil, or more as needed

1. Combine the garlic, a couple of the shrimp, and ½ cup of the white beans in a food processor and pulse until blended but not quite puréed, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the container as necessary. Add the remaining shrimp and beans, the chives, parsley, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped and just combined.

2. Shape the mixture into whatever size patties you like and refrigerate them for at least 10 minutes or up to several hours. When you’re ready to cook, put a film of oil in a large skillet over medium heat (or on an electric griddle set to 350°F). Cook the burgers until nicely browned on one side, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the burgers; turn carefully and cook on the other side, adding more oil if the pan looks dry, until it is also browned and the center is firm and cooked through, about another 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

White Bean and Salmon Burgers. Substitute salmon for the shrimp, and dill for the chives if you like.

Broiled White Bean and Shrimp or Salmon Burgers. After shaping the patties in Step 2, turn on the broiler and put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Put the patties on a well-greased rimmed baking sheet, brush the tops with olive oil, and broil, turning once, until cooked through and browned on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes total.

New Orleans–Style BBQ Shrimp with Vinegary Black-Eyed Peas

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 30 minutes with cooked or canned beans

Traditional New Orleans BBQ shrimp are served in their shells in a pool of bright red sauce, making for fun if messy eating. If you don’t want to deal with peeling saucy shrimp at the table, use peeled shrimp with the tails left on, if possible. Or skip the shrimp altogether and try this recipe with soft-shell crabs (see the variation), hard-shell crabs (cook them exactly as you would the shrimp, only longer), or lump crab meat (just warm it in the sauce for a couple minutes in Step 3).

Use already cooked, frozen, fresh, dried, or canned black-eyed peas here. If you are making the beans from scratch for this dish, cook them until they are tender but not falling apart.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped, any leaves chopped for garnish

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 cups cooked or canned black-eyed peas, drained

2 tablespoons sherry or apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons butter

12 large, shell-on shrimp or peeled shrimp with the tails left on (see page 22)

2 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne

Salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup dry white wine

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Hot sauce, for serving

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and turn golden, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the black-eyed peas and cook until they are heated through, a few minutes more. Add the vinegar, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and transfer the mixture to a serving platter.

3. Wipe out the pan, return it to medium-high heat, and add the butter. When it foams, add the shrimp, paprika, cayenne, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and the Worcestershire. Cook, stirring occasionally for a minute or 2, then add the wine. Cook until the shrimp are pink all over (but not rubbery) and the sauce has reduced a bit, 5 to 10 minutes. (The sauce should be the consistency of thin barbeque sauce; if it looks like it is getting too thick, add a few drops of water.)

4. Pour the shrimp and sauce over the black-eyed peas, garnish with the parsley and celery leaves, and serve with hot sauce passed at the table.

BBQ Soft-Shell Crabs with Vinegary Black-Eyed Peas. Substitute 4 small, cleaned soft-shell crabs for the shrimp. Before Step 3, dredge them in flour if you like and cook them in the butter for a minute or 2 on each side before adding the remaining ingredients. Proceed with the recipe.

Steamed Lima Beans with White Fish

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Steaming on a bed of beans and tomatoes yields a thick, creamy, almost stewlike sauce that pairs beautifully with a perfectly cooked piece of fish. You can substitute any just-cooked beans for the limas, and the type of fish is totally up to you as well, as long as it is sturdy enough to hold together during cooking.

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

1 bay leaf

3 cups fresh, frozen, or cooked dried lima beans

Salt and black pepper

12 ounces sturdy white fish (see page 22), cut into 4 equal portions

Chopped fresh basil, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until they just start to release some juice, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lima beans and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Lay the pieces of fish on top of the tomatoes and beans and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Make sure the mixture is bubbling steadily, then cover the pan and cook until the fish is just done, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish (a thin-bladed knife inserted into the center will meet little resistance). Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve each piece of fish with some of the tomatoes and limas, garnished with the basil and a little more olive oil if you like.

Steamed Lima Beans with Whole Small Fish. Substitute 4 small, whole fish, like mackerel or large sardines, for the fish fillets. They will take a few minutes longer to cook.

Steamed Clams with Double Black Beans

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes with cooked or canned beans

An updated twist on a Chinese dim sum classic. The first kind of black beans are salted fermented black soybeans, which keep in the fridge indefinitely. They’re small and slightly shriveled with a strong fermented soy flavor and aroma. The second are familiar black turtle beans. The resulting dish is a little saucy and fabulous spooned over short-grain brown rice, millet, or buckwheat noodles.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 bunch scallions, white and green parts separated, all chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 fresh hot chile (like jalapeño or Thai), minced

2 tablespoons fermented black beans

½ cup sake or dry white wine

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained, liquid reserved

2 pounds littleneck or other hard-shell clams, well scrubbed, those with broken shells discarded

Salt and black pepper

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish, optional

1. Put the vegetable and sesame oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the white parts of the scallions along with the garlic, ginger, and chile and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the fermented black beans, sake, and soy sauce and cook for another minute, stirring and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

2. Add the cooked black beans with ½ cup of their liquid and the clams. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes, then lift the lid to check the clams’ progress. If the majority of their shells haven’t opened, cover again and give them a couple more minutes. When they’re all open (if any don’t, you can open them with a butter knife), remove from the heat. Taste and add a little salt and pepper if you like. Serve the clams and beans in bowls, garnished with the scallion greens, cilantro, and sesame seeds.

White Bean Gratin with Sliced Salmon and Dill

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1 hour with cooked or canned beans, largely unattended

Just the thing for easy entertaining. Salmon is terrific here—broil it so it’s just barely cooked through—or use thin slices of any other fish instead, or shrimp or scallops (which you’ll need to turn halfway through cooking). Or use nothing at all: The gratin is that good. Flageolets are an excellent substitute for cannellinis here, if you can get your hands on them.

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans, drained, liquid reserved

2 zucchini, grated

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Salt and black pepper

8 ounces salmon fillet, preferably wild (see page 22), cut into thin slices

¼ cup chopped dill, for garnish

Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish or a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Combine the beans, zucchini, and lemon zest in the prepared dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the lemon juice and a little of the reserved bean liquid. Cover with foil and bake until the zucchini is tender and releasing its juice, about 20 minutes.

2. Uncover the gratin and continue baking until it is nearly dry, 25 to 30 minutes more. Remove the dish from the oven. (The dish can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated for up to a day; bring it to room temperature before proceeding.) Turn on the broiler; the heat should be medium-high and the rack as close to the heat source as possible.

3. Put the salmon slices on top of the bean mixture (they won’t cover the whole thing but that’s fine). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Broil until the salmon is just done, only a couple minutes. Garnish with the dill. Serve hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

White Bean Gratin with Squid and Tomatoes. Substitute 1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or drained canned, for the zucchini. Substitute 8 ounces squid for the salmon. Garnish with chopped fresh basil instead of dill.

Fava Gratin with Scallops and Pesto Bread Crumbs

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes with shelled or frozen beans

There is no denying that shucking and peeling fresh fava beans is a pain, but you might consider this supereasy, extremely flavorful gratin the reward. Alternatively (and fortunately) you can use convenient frozen favas, which are available in many supermarkets and specialty stores. To use fresh, you’ll need about 3 pounds in the pod; shell them and remove the skins, then blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until they’re just tender.

8 ounces bread (about 4 thick slices), preferably whole grain and day old, torn into pieces

1 packed cup fresh basil

1 garlic clove

4 tablespoons olive oil

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and black pepper

3 cups frozen fava beans

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup dry white wine or water

4 large or 8 small sea scallops

1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Put the bread in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then let the machine run for a few seconds until coarsely chopped. Transfer the bread crumbs to a small bowl.

2. Add the basil, garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the oil to the food processor and pulse, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary. Add the basil mixture to the bread crumbs, sprinkle with the Parmesan and some salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

3. Put the beans in a 9-inch baking dish or ovenproof skillet and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the lemon juice, wine, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

4. Nestle the scallops into the beans and sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over all. Bake, uncovered, until the scallops are opaque halfway through, 5 to 10 minutes (peek with a sharp knife). Serve hot or at room temperature.

Curried Chickpeas and Cauliflower with Chicken

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes with cooked or canned beans

Chicken, cauliflower, and chickpeas all take well to strong seasonings, and they taste great together. In this one-pan Indian-tinged stir-fry, two other c’s—curry and coconut milk—round out the dish into a light stew that’s perfect to serve with brown basmati rice or Whole Wheat Chapatis (page 522).

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into chunks or slices and blotted dry

Salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon minced ginger

½ cup chopped scallions, white parts only

2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 cup coconut milk

1 small cauliflower, cored and roughly chopped

1 or 2 small dried hot red chiles (like Thai), or a pinch of red chile flakes

1 teaspoon sugar, optional

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Put a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, swirl it around, and immediately add the chicken. Stir once, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and let it sit for 1 minute before stirring again. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken has lost its pink color, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the ginger and scallions and cook for a half minute or so. Remove everything from the pan.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. When it’s hot, add the chickpeas and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the chickpeas are lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the curry powder, stir again, and remove from the pan.

3. Put the coconut milk, cauliflower, and chiles into the hot pan and reduce the heat so it bubbles gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is tender and the mixture thickens, 10 minutes or longer.

4. Return the chicken and chickpeas to the pan and toss once or twice. Stir in the sugar if you like, then garnish with cilantro and serve.

Curried Chickpeas with Okra with Chicken. Instead of the cauliflower, trim the stems from 1 pound okra but leave the pods whole. Proceed with the recipe, cooking the okra with the coconut milk mixture in Step 3 until it’s just tender, which could be less than 5 minutes, depending on its size.

Chickpea Tagine with Chicken and Bulgur

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1½ hours with cooked or canned beans, largely unattended

Braise precooked (or canned) chickpeas and chicken in a North African spice mixture and the chickpeas disintegrate, the chicken becomes fork-tender, and everything is intensely flavored. It’s an extraordinary dish and made even more so by the bulgur, which is cooked right in the stewing liquid.

2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained, with liquid reserved

2 cups bean-cooking liquid, stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140), or water, or more as needed

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 bone-in chicken thighs

1 large onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon cumin

1½ teaspoons coriander

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ cup raisins, chopped dates, or currants

1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

½ cup bulgur

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Put the beans and the liquid in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Adjust the heat so the mixture barely bubbles.

2. Meanwhile, put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet. Cook, turning and rotating as necessary, until it’s brown on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chicken to the pot of beans.

3. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, raisins, and tomato; cook and stir just long enough to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the mixture to the beans and adjust the heat so the mixture returns to a gentle bubble.

4. Cover the pot and cook, checking occasionally to make sure the mixture is bubbling gently, for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir the bulgur into the bottom of the pot; it should be covered with about 1 inch of liquid. If not, add more water. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the bulgur is done, another 10 to 15 minutes. Serve each chicken thigh with a big spoonful of the chickpea mixture and garnish with parsley.

Chickpea Tagine with Lamb Shank and Bulgur. Even more authentic. Substitute 2 lamb shanks for the chicken. Brown them as you would the chicken and proceed with the recipe, allowing an extra 30 to 40 minutes to cook the lamb in Step 4. When the stew is done, the meat should be nearly falling off the bone. Remove it from the pot, shred the lamb with a fork, and return the meat to the pot. Serve and garnish as described above.

White Chili with Chicken and White Root Vegetables

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 2 to 2½ hours, largely unattended

More refined than Chili con Poco Carne (page 397) but no less substantial. There’s no reason to go the canned bean route here; dried beans don’t take much longer and the results are exponentially better.

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 bone-in chicken thighs

Salt and black pepper

2 leeks, trimmed, well rinsed, and chopped, or 2 onions, chopped

4 parsnips, chopped

1 celery root, chopped

1 large or 2 medium turnips, chopped

2 all-purpose potatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 bay leaf

1 dried mild chile (like ancho), or 1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

2 cups any dried white beans, rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you like

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

½ cup chopped scallions, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown them well, rotating and turning the pieces as necessary, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.

2. Add the leeks to the pot and cook, stirring and lowering the heat if necessary, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the parsnips, celery root, turnip, potatoes, sage, bay leaf, chile, cumin, and lime zest and toss to coat with the oil. Add the beans, chicken, and enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the chili bubbles steadily.

3. Partially cover and cook until the beans begin to soften (30 to 90 minutes, depending on the beans and whether or not you soaked them). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary, until the beans are quite tender and the root vegetables are nearly disintegrated, another 30 to 60 minutes.

4. Remove the chicken thighs, chile, and bay leaf. Pull the chicken meat from the bones, chop if necessary, and return the meat to the pot along with the lime juice and cilantro. Stir, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with more cilantro and the scallions (or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days).

White Chili with Ground Chicken or Turkey. Instead of the chicken thighs, use 8 ounces ground chicken or turkey and cook in Step 1 until it has lost its color, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the meat to cook the leeks and return to the pot in Step 2.

Cassoulet with Lots of Vegetables

Makes: 4 to 8 servings

Time: 40 minutes with cooked or canned beans

This is one of my favorite recipes from Food Matters, and not only the dish I demonstrate most frequently but also the one I cook for any gathering of ten or more people. (I’ve done it for sixty; no problem.) It has nearly all of the richness of a traditional, slow-simmered cassoulet but is easier, faster, and better for you. The main recipe starts with already cooked or canned beans and is ready relatively fast. To begin with dried beans, see the variation; it takes more time, but the results are even better.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound Italian sausages in casings, bone-in pork chops, confit duck legs, or fresh duck breasts, or a combination

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 leeks, trimmed, well rinsed, and sliced, or 2 onions, sliced

2 carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths

3 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 zucchini or 1 small head green cabbage, cut into ½-inch pieces

Salt and black pepper

4 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 bay leaves

4 cups cooked or canned white beans, drained, liquid reserved

2 cups stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140), dry red wine, bean-cooking liquid, or water, or more as needed

Pinch of cayenne, or to taste

1. Put the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the meat and cook, turning as needed, until the pieces are deeply browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.

2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, leeks, carrots, celery, and zucchini; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, the reserved meat, and the herbs and bring to a boil. Add the beans and bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat so the mixture bubbles gently but continuously. Cook for about 20 minutes, adding the stock when the mixture gets thick and the vegetables are melting away, about halfway through cooking.

3. Fish out the meat, remove the bones and skin as needed, and discard the bay leaves. Chop the meat into chunks and return to the pot along with the cayenne. Cook for another minute or 2 to warm through, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve.

Slow-Cooked Cassoulet. Start with dried beans. After browning the meat in Step 1, leave it in the pan and add 8 ounces dried white beans (they’ll cook faster if you soak them first; see page 353) and enough water or stock to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle bubble. Cover tightly and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a separate pan with another 2 tablespoons olive oil, cook the vegetables as directed in Step 2. When the beans are beginning to get tender, add the vegetables to the pot of beans along with the tomatoes and herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle bubble. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are fully tender, adding more liquid as necessary to keep them covered by about 1 inch. This will take anywhere from another 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the age of your dried beans.

Cannellini with Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Sausage

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes with cooked or canned beans

Cannellini beans with garlic and sausage are admittedly hard to beat (there’s a reason you see it everywhere). But shredded Brussels sprouts are a welcome addition to this classic combination; if there are still Brussels sprout haters out there, this will convert them. Serve this dish, with its beautifully flavored pan juices, over cooked grains like farro, bulgur, or cracked wheat, or a couple of thick slices of toasted bread.

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed

2 tablespoons minced garlic

Red chile flakes, to taste

Salt and black pepper

1 pound Brussels sprouts, shredded in a food processor or roughly chopped

½ cup white wine or water

2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans, drained

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally to break the meat into relatively small bits, until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and chile flakes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for another minute or so.

2. Add the Brussels sprouts and wine to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the sprouts are tender but still a bit crunchy, 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are heated through, just a minute or 2. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve.

Creamy Navy Bean and Squash Gratin with Bits of Sausage

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1½ hours with cooked or canned beans, largely unattended

The small amounts of sausage, half-and-half, and Parmesan make a big contribution to the flavor of this gorgeous gratin, whose texture benefits from slow baking. If you’re looking for a quicker-cooking casserole, use zucchini or summer squash in place of the butternut.

4 ounces Italian sausage, casings removed, optional

¼ cup half-and-half or cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried

3 cups cooked or canned navy beans, drained, liquid reserved

Salt and black pepper

1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded

½ cup vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138) or water, or more as needed

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Heat the oven to 325°F. If you’re using the sausage, put a small skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the sausage and cook, stirring to break it into small pieces, for 5 to 10 minutes; don’t brown it too much. (If you’re not using the sausage, skip to Step 2.)

2. Combine the half-and-half, rosemary, and beans in a 2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tuck the crumbled sausage (if you’re using it) into the beans.

3. Cut the butternut squash halves into thin slices. Spread the slices out on top of the beans, overlapping a bit; press down gently. Pour the stock over the top, drizzle with the oil, and sprinkle with more salt and pepper.

4. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is browned and glazed, another 45 minutes or so. Add a little more stock if the mixture seems too dry. And sprinkle the top with the Parmesan if you’re using it for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Beer-Glazed Black Beans with Chorizo and Orange

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 40 minutes with cooked or canned beans

The ratio of flavor to effort in this recipe is high. If you can’t get your hands on smoked Spanish-style chorizo, a little cubed bacon or cooked and crumbled Mexican chorizo will do fine. You will taste the beer you use here, so make sure it’s one you like. Serve these with long-grain brown rice, Loaded Cornpone (page 519), or Mostly Whole Wheat Tortillas (page 526).

1 orange

8 ounces Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced

1 red onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

One 12-ounce bottle beer

3 cups cooked or canned black beans, drained, liquid reserved

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon honey

Salt and black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Halve the orange and seed it if necessary. Peel one half, divide the segments, and save the rind; squeeze the juice from the other half.

2. Put the chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring and turning to brown the slices, for 5 to 10 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the orange rind and juice, beer, beans, chili powder, honey, and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper.

3. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Fish out the orange rind, garnish with the reserved orange segments and cilantro, and serve hot (or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for months).

Chili con Poco Carne

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: About 1 hour with cooked or canned beans

A perfect example of how a little bit of meat can go a long way. For a vegetarian version, just leave out the meat—better yet, try the variation. Either way, this recipe, which reheats beautifully, makes extra for your fridge or freezer.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound beef chuck, pork shoulder, or lamb shoulder, cut into small cubes

Salt and black pepper

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 large or 2 small eggplants, cubed

1 zucchini, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 cup quartered mushrooms or a handful of rinsed dried porcini

1 (or more) fresh or dried hot chile (like jalapeño or Thai), minced

1 tablespoon cumin, or to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

4 cups cooked or canned kidney, pinto, or black beans, drained, liquid reserved

2 cups vegetable stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 138) or water, or more as needed

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is well browned all over, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat.

2. Put the pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until just softened, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetables, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften and become fragrant, adjusting the heat so that nothing scorches. After 10 to 15 minutes, the vegetables should start to brown a bit and dry out.

3. Add the chile, cumin, and oregano and stir. Add the tomatoes with their juice and enough of the bean-cooking liquid to submerge everything (use some stock or water if you don’t have enough) and return the meat to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat so it bubbles steadily. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding more liquid if necessary, until the meat is fork-tender and the flavors have mellowed, 30 to 40 minutes. Add the beans and more liquid if necessary, and cook just long enough to heat the beans through, only a couple minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the cilantro and serve.

Chili non Carne. Omit the meat from Step 1. At the beginning of Step 2, add 2 chopped red bell peppers and 2 tablespoons tomato paste along with the garlic and onion. Let the mixture brown a bit, stirring frequently so the tomato paste doesn’t burn, and proceed with the recipe.

Skillet Carnitas with Pinto Beans

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 1 hour with cooked or canned beans

Producing carnitas—crisp and chewy pieces of braised-then-sizzled pork—is usually a long-term commitment, but cooking them in a skillet is easy. Add beans and lots of crunchy raw cabbage and radishes, and you have the perfect filling for whole wheat tortillas, whether store-bought or your own (see page 526).

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 ounces pork shoulder or butt, sliced into thin 2-inch strips

Salt and black pepper

One 12-ounce bottle beer, optional

4 or more garlic cloves, smashed whole

1 tablespoon cumin

3 cups cooked pinto beans, drained, liquid reserved

2 cups shredded cabbage, for serving

1 cup chopped radishes, for serving, optional

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Lime wedges, for serving

Whole wheat tortillas (for homemade, see page 526), for serving

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the pork, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the strips until they are nicely browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the beer or enough water (or a combination) to nearly submerge the pork. Bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover and adjust the heat so that it bubbles steadily. Cook until the pork is quite tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

3. Uncover the skillet and add the garlic. Turn the heat up so that the liquid begins to bubble away. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pork is nicely browned and crisp, another 5 minutes or so. Add the cumin and stir until fragrant, just a few seconds.

4. Add the pinto beans with some of their liquid and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, until the beans are warmed through, just a couple minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with the cabbage, radishes, cilantro, lime, and tortillas.

Ma-Po Tofu with Tomatoes

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ma-po tofu, the classic Sichuan dish of simmered tofu and ground pork, is intensely flavorful and very quick to make. Serve it over brown rice or toss it with brown rice noodles or whole wheat spaghetti. Just remember that the dish takes only 20 minutes to prepare and cook, so start your rice or noodles first thing.

1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

¼ teaspoon red chile flakes, or to taste

4 ounces ground pork

½ cup chopped scallions

2 cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; drain their juice)

½ cup stock (for homemade, see pages 135 to 140) or water

12 ounces firm silken tofu, cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Salt

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the garlic, ginger, and chile flakes and cook just until they begin to sizzle, less than a minute. Add the pork and stir to break it up; cook, stirring occasionally, until it loses most of its pink color and begins to crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the scallions, tomatoes, and stock. Cook for a minute or 2, scraping the bottom of pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits of meat. Add the tofu and cook, stirring once or twice, until the tofu is heated through, about 2 minutes.

3. Stir in the soy sauce; taste and season with salt and more red chile flakes if you like. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Ma-Po Edamame. Substitute 3 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame for the tofu. It will take 5 to 7 minutes of cooking at a gentle simmer for fresh edamame to become tender.

Skillet Hoppin’ John

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes with cooked or canned beans

A stir-fried version of the Southern black-eyed-pea-and-rice staple that makes good use of leftovers and gets a ton of flavor from bits of bacon or ham. Use this formula for any combination of cooked grains and rice, using whatever seasonings and vegetables you have handy. To round out the meal, serve it with Ten-Minute Green Salad (page 143) or stewed collard greens.

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces slab bacon or smoked ham, cubed

2 onions, chopped

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

Salt and black pepper

2 cups cooked brown rice, preferably chilled

2 cups cooked or canned black-eyed peas, drained, liquid reserved

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. A minute later, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat so the meat doesn’t burn, until the pieces are crisp and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and lower the heat to medium.

2. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the rosemary and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Begin to add the rice, a bit at a time, breaking up any clumps and stirring it into the oil. When all the rice has been added and is glossy, add the peas with ½ cup of their liquid. Cook and stir until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve, garnished with parsley.

Red Beans, Almost the Classic Way

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 2 hours, largely unattended

Cubes of sweet potato add another dimension to a dish that is already smoky, faintly spicy, and rich. Serve a heaping spoonful over a mound of brown rice, and add a couple shakes of hot sauce if you like.

1½ cups dried kidney, pinto, or other red beans, rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you like

1 meaty smoked ham hock or ham bone or a 4-ounce chunk of bacon or pancetta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 andouille or hot Italian sausage in casings

1 large onion, chopped

1 green and 1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon allspice

Pinch of cayenne

1½ cups chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)

2 large sweet potatoes, cubed

Salt and black pepper

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Hot sauce, optional

1. Put the beans and the ham hock in a large pot with water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil, skimming foam from the top if necessary. Turn the heat down so the beans barely bubble. Cover and cook, stirring infrequently and adding water if necessary to keep the beans always covered by about 2 inches.

2. Put the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, turning occasionally and pricking the sausage a few times to release its fat, until nicely browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer it to the pot of beans (don’t worry about whether it is done). Pour off some of the fat from the skillet if you like.

3. Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the pot of beans with a slotted spoon. Add the thyme, bay leaves, allspice, cayenne, and tomatoes. Adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently and make sure there’s enough water to submerge everything. Cover and cook, stirring once in a while, until the beans begin to get tender. (This could take anywhere from 30 minutes to almost 2 hours, depending on the beans and whether you soaked them.)

4. Fish out the meat and sausage and stir in the sweet potatoes and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook until the beans and sweet potatoes are very tender, 15 to 30 minutes more. Meanwhile, chop up the meat, slice the sausage, and return everything to the pot. (You can make the stew up to this point and refrigerate for up to several days or freeze for months; gently reheat it before proceeding.) When you’re ready to serve, remove the bay leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Better Boston Baked Beans

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 3 to 4 hours, largely unattended

Most recipes for Boston baked beans—including some of my older ones—are exercises in excess, especially sweetness. With a few tweaks to the technique and a little tomato paste, you can cut the amount of bacon and sweetener in half without missing them one bit. As an added bonus, the dish requires virtually no work once you pop it in the oven. For a vegan or vegetarian version, use 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter instead of the bacon, and if you like add a large piece of kombu seaweed to the pot before baking.

8 ounces slab bacon, cubed or thickly sliced

2 onions, chopped

¼ cup tomato paste

¼ cup molasses

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or to taste

1 pound dried navy or other white beans, rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you like

Salt and black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Put the bacon in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the pieces are crisp and some fat is rendered, 5 to 10 minutes. Scoop out the bacon with a slotted spoon. Add the onions to the fat and cook, stirring, until very soft and browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomato paste and keep cooking and stirring until it darkens and dries a bit, another minute or 2. Return the bacon to the pot and stir in the molasses and mustard. Add the beans and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven.

3. Bake, undisturbed, for the first hour, then stir. The beans should still be submerged by at least 2 inches of water; if not, add a little more. Cover and bake for another hour, then check and stir again. By now the beans should be getting tender; keep checking every 30 minutes.

4. When the beans are tender, remove the lid and make sure they are covered by about 1 inch of liquid. Raise the oven heat to 400°F. Bake until the mixture thickens and bubbles and the top and sides brown a bit, anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more mustard if you like. Serve immediately (or cool and refrigerate for up to a few days or freeze for months).

Beans and Ribs. Omit the bacon. In Step 1, put 1 tablespoon olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 2 meaty country-style pork ribs or 4 spareribs to the pot and sprinkle with salt and black pepper or cayenne. Cook, more or less undisturbed but adjusting the heat so the meat browns without burning, for 5 to 10 minutes; turn the ribs and brown on the other side for a few minutes more. Remove the ribs from the pot, add the onions, and proceed with the recipe, returning the meat to the pot along with the beans in Step 2.

Beans “Bolognese”

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 2 hours, largely unattended

Beans and ragu—the hearty Italian tomato sauce that doesn’t come from a jar—are a match made in heaven. The combo (think homemade sloppy joes with beans) is incredibly versatile: You can toss it with pasta, spoon it over thick toasted bread or a mound of rice, or serve it with nothing other than a spoon. You can use fresh tomatoes as long as they’re really ripe; figure ten to fifteen. I don’t bother to peel and seed them, though you certainly can if you’re feeling ambitious.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

¼ cup chopped bacon or pancetta, optional

8 ounces lean ground beef, or (ideally) 4 ounces lean ground beef plus 4 ounces lean ground pork or veal

¾ cup red wine

One 28- or 35-ounce can whole Roma (plum) tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved

1½ cups dried pinto, cranberry, or other pink or red beans, rinsed, picked over, and soaked if you like

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup cream, half-and-half, or milk, optional

1. Put the oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, carrots, celery, and bacon if you’re using it. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the bacon begins to render some fat, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Add the ground meat and cook, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the wine, raise the heat a bit, and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid bubbles away, just a minute or 2.

3. Core the tomatoes if you like, crush them a little with a fork or your hands; then add them and the reserved liquid to the pot, and stir. Add the beans and enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cover and cook, stirring once in a while to break up the tomatoes and any clumps of meat that remain. The beans will begin to get tender in 30 to 60 minutes or more, depending on the beans and whether or not you soaked them. Once they do, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary, until the beans are quite tender, another 15 to 30 minutes. (At this point, you can refrigerate it for a day or 2 or freeze for several weeks. Reheat before proceeding.)

4. Add the cream if you’re using it and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve.

Crisp and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas with Lamb

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 45 to 60 minutes with cooked or canned chickpeas

Using a hot oven and a pan with a lot of surface area guarantees that the chickpeas and spiced meat will get so crisp that they almost crunch. Feel free to use ground beef instead of lamb. Serve this with Sesame Pita Pockets (page 544) and sliced ripe tomatoes and cucumbers.

2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

8 ounces ground lamb

1 red onion, chopped

8 ounces green beans, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 tablespoon cumin

Cayenne to taste

Juice of 2 oranges

½ cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine the chickpeas and 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large roasting pan and bake, shaking the pan once or twice, until they’re crisp and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss, and remove the chickpeas from the pan with a slotted spoon.

2. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan along with the lamb. Break it up a bit and roast until it is no longer pink and has cooked dry, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir, breaking it up more, and continue baking until it begins to crisp, another 5 minutes or so.

3. Stir the onion, green beans, garlic, orange zest, cumin, and cayenne into the lamb; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return the roasting pan to the oven and continue roasting until the vegetables are tender and browned, the lamb is very crisp, and the spices are fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, stir in the chickpeas, and transfer everything to a serving dish.

4. Put the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add the orange juice and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until warm and slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle the orange reduction over the lamb and chickpeas and taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the parsley and serve.