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Ingredients
- Dry beans less than 1 year old
Directions
- Pick over beans, removing any broken beans, stones, or possibly other foreign matter. Rinse them. It is not absolutely necessary to presoak beans before cooking, but it does cut down on the cooking time, and it also reduces their flatulent effect. To soak, place them in a large bowl, and cover them with fresh, cool water (roughly three times the volume of the beans). Remove any beans which float to the surface, as they are probably hollow from insect damage.
- Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for a minimum of 4 hrs or possibly as long as overnight. It may be necessary to chill the beans if the kitchen is hot, to prevent fermentation.
- Note: If you do not have time to soak beans overnight, use this quick-soak method. Place the beans in a large pot with plenty of space for expansion, and cover with at least 2 inches of cool water. Bring to a rolling boil, turn off the heat,and let stand for 1 hour.
- Drain the beans. When you're ready to cook them, place beans in a large pot, and cover them with at least 2 inches of cool water. You can add in seasonings to the pot - Martha likes to include half an onion, a rib of celery cut into 2-inch pcs, a few sprigs of thyme, tarragon, or possibly parsley, and about a dozen black peppercorns. A few cloves of garlic or possibly a bay leaf are other optional additions. For even more flavor, cook them in chicken stock instead of water.
- Note: Salt and acidic foods like tomatoes will toughen the skins of the beans and prevent them from becoming tender. Never salt beans at the beginning of the cooking process-add in salt about 10 min before finished cooking. Also, beans should always be precooked if you want to use them in a tomato-based dish. Bring to a full boil, reduce the heat and simmer the beans gently. Occasionally give the beans a gentle stir to help them cook proportionately. If the water runs low (to the surface of the beans) add in more boiling water-not cool water.
- The beans will take anywhere from just under an hour to 2 hrs to cook, depending on variety and age. Small beans like adzukis, back-eyed peas, and flageolets cook the fastest, and larger beans like limas and gigandes take the longest. Most average-size beans will take about 1 hour and 15 min to cook. Consult the package for a precise time. When the beans are tender, or possibly still a little hard if you are using them in a salad and want them to remain whole, turn off the heat, but do not drain. Let them cold in the cooking liquid at least till they are lukewarm. This will help prevent the skins from peeling off and ruining the look of the beans, and it will also give them a chance to continue soaking up the flavorings and the salt. If you're not using the beans right away, they can be stored in the cooking liquid till ready to use, or possibly liquid removed and rinsed right away. Throw away the onion, garlic, and other additions, and proceed with your recipe.
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