Posted on 03/31/2022 11:12:14 AM PDT by Jamestown1630
My grandmother made a wonderful navy bean soup, and my husband makes a good one, too. Beyond those - besides a very good canned black bean soup that Goya makes - I don’t have a lot of experience with beans.
But I’ve recently discovered heirloom beans, and want to broaden my bean horizons. They are supposed to be far superior to the mass-produced beans available in supermarkets, and two companies that offer many varieties are Zursun Beans in Idaho:
And Rancho Gordo in California:
I’m especially interested in the various Black Lentils offered, and the French Flageolets; and I found a couple of recipes for those:
Karen Tedesco at Family Style Food.com, has posted this Black Lentil Salad with Feta:
Black Lentil Salad with Feta and Cucumber
Dressing:
1 cup each Italian parsley and cilantro leaves loosely packed (or 2 cups of either herb)
1 jalapeño pepper chopped (leave the seeds in if you like it spicy)
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil or avocado oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) red wine vinegar
Salad:
1 cup black or French-style lentils
1 teaspoon salt
2 baby Persian cucumbers, cut into small dice
1/2 red onion thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup fresh mint or Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup (125 g) crumbled feta or goat cheese
Make the dressing:
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender or small food processor until very smooth.
Make the salad:
Bring 4 cups water to a boil with the salt. Add the lentils and cook 20-25 minutes. Taste-test: They should be tender but not mushy. Drain well and allow to cool to room temperature.
Put the cucumbers, onion and lentils in a serving bowl. Add 1/3 cup of the dressing and toss gently. Sprinkle the salad with the mint or parsley leaves and goat cheese and toss again.
Serve the salad with additional dressing spooned over, if you like.
NOTES Pick through the lentils before cooking to be sure they don't contain an errant stone or twig (lentils are all-natural and plant-based and sometimes that happens) Substitute French lentils if you can't find black ones. Refrigerate leftover dressing for up to 3 days. It's delicious on any salad or as a sauce all on its own.
https://familystylefood.com/black-lentil-salad-2/
A recipe for Flageolets in Lemon Dressing is at the Rancho Gordo site:
https://www.ranchogordo.com/blogs/recipes/flageolet-beans-with-lemon-dressing
Both of the companies mentioned above have a lot of good recipes at their sites.
These days, with prices for food – and especially meat! – rising so much, beans are a good way to stretch our budgets, and they don’t have to be boring. Even the heirloom dried beans seem reasonably priced, considering their nutrition and flavor value.
**************************************************
One thing I noticed during the whole Covid thing was my boredom with food – including many things I’ve always liked a lot and made routinely. I began looking for unusual and more flavorful things that I’d made in the past, and one of the first things that came to mind was a recipe for Indonesian Gado Gado.
Gado Gado is one of the national dishes of Indonesia, and consists of raw or slightly cooked vegetables in a peanut sauce. There are probably as many variations on it as there are households that make it - many contain hard-boiled eggs - but here is a good ‘beginner’ one, adapted from Alastair Hendy’s ‘Cooking for Friends’:
Gado Gado
¾ C. peanuts, salted or unsalted, and coarsely crushed
1 clove garlic
¼ to ½ tsp. Salt
1 or 2 small red chili peppers, seeded and chopped
6 tablespoons brown sugar *
1-1/2 tsps. granulated sugar
4 limes,
2 large green apples – or you can substitute green mangoes, or papayas, peeled and seeded
2 sprigs each of fresh mint, cilantro, and basil, torn into small pieces
Toast the peanuts in a skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan now and then, until the peanuts are lightly toaste/flecked. Remove from heat.
Crush the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle until a paste is formed. Add the chilies and mash into the garlic paste. Add the brown sugar, and pound until everything is incorporated. Now add the crushed peanuts and pound them in, leaving some in little chunks. (Add a little lime juice if your mixture becomes too thick.) Scrape the mixture into a bowl, add the juice of 2 limes, stir to combine, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the juice of 1 lime.until the sugar dissolves. Cut the apple or other fruit into julienne strips. Place the herbs and fruit in the bowl with the granulated sugar and lime, and set aside.
Cut the remaining lime into sections. Place portions of the salad on individual serving plates, spoon some of the peanut dressing on top, and serve with lime wedges.
* You can also use Palm Sugar, more authentic to the recipe, if available to you.
-JT
This month: Heirloom Beans, and an Asian salad.
(If you would like to be on or off of this monthly cooking-thread ping list, please send a private message.)
-JT
Though it was probably known earlier, the reminder that
beans are GREAT for lowering the bad cholesterol numbers
was recently seen here:
LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Re8moOW67Q
from the library of ZONY FOCO, RDN/GET YOUR HEALTHY ON
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Re8moOW67Q
Cilantro is best used at the last 30 minutes of cook time in most dishes. We cook beans every Sunday in the crockpot. Let them cook then add seasonings in the last hour, otherwise they cook out.
Those recipes sound great! Will need to try them sometime!
These seem to refer to blood pressure (?). Lots of people have good BP numbers, but still have high cholesterol.
On the other hand, it could be that the fiber helps with cholesterol - I know a man who astounded his doc by seriously lowering his cholesterol just by eating oatmeal every morning.
I don’t think I could eat the same thing every day unless I was in serious hunker down/survival mode.
Thanks for the tip. I’m one of those people who really like cilantro.
You reminded me of one bean recipe that I use a lot - it’s very different: Black Eyed Pea Cakes with Salsa Mayonnaise:
https://www.yummly.com/recipe/Black-Eyed-Pea-Cakes-with-Salsa-Mayonnaise-1007234#directions
Well, I guess if you had dangerously high cholesterol, that might constitute ‘survival mode’.
But I’m sure there are other things - like beans - that can lower cholesterol. It seems to be the soluble fiber that does it.
https://www.lipid.org/sites/default/files/adding_soluble_fiber_final_0.pdf
She speaks of lower bp but she also shares information/recipes in presenting the additional fact
that beans are excellent foods to lower cholesterol numbers
by acting as sponges in absorption.
Follow the link - this one is worth reading...
People Are Sharing The One Small Ingredient That Makes The Biggest Difference In Their Go-To Dishes (And I’m So Excited To Try These In My Own Kitchen)
“No one can ever identify the taste, but they always love it.”
by Hannah Loewentheil
...
1. “In my family mashed potato recipe, we use mayonnaise. A dollop makes the potatoes super creamy (and I promise you can’t taste the mayo).”
Mashed potatoes with a spoon in serving bowl
Getty Images
—grapeape12041986
2. “I add something sharp and briny like pickle juice to tuna or chicken salad. It gives it just the right amount of tartness.”
Slices of bread on a cutting board and a bowl of chicken salad
—u/NickyNeptune
3. “I use a little almond extract in all my baked goods (especially French toast) and a little espresso powder in anything chocolate. It’s the perfect nutty or bitter complement to the sweetness.”
—u/kaophyre
4. “Fish sauce can go in almost anything savory. That stuff is pure magic. If you’re making vegetables, meat, chilis, or even a sauce, a dash or two gives you more of that salty, meaty, savory flavor.”
—u/fencerman
5. “I add mashed anchovies or anchovy paste to pretty much all salad dressings, pasta sauces, and gravies. It really adds that extra salty, umami flavor. No one can ever identify the taste, and they always love it!” “
—u/ebtuck
6. “I buy Costco cashew clusters (or any candied nut clusters) and use the crumbs at the bottom of the bag as part of my dough when baking homemade cookies. People always go crazy for them.”
—u/coffee-jnky
7. “I put cinnamon into basically every Mexican-inspired dish I make. Tacos, enchiladas, beans. I even sprinkle it in quesadillas sometimes. It works really well with all the other spices you usually end up using in those dishes like chile powder and cumin.”
—u/LadyEmaSKye
8. “Pro tip: Put a bit of mayonnaise in chocolate cake. Once you realize that mayo is mostly eggs and oil, it’s not so hard to believe why it tastes so good.”
A fork digging into a slice of chocolate cake
A fork digging into a slice of chocolate cake
Getty Images
—u/mrpbeaar
9. “I put mustard in mac ‘n’ cheese. Unless you use a huge amount, it isn’t noticeable. It just adds a little bit of zest and depth of flavor. Many recipes for baked mac and cheese suggest adding a little Dijon mustard, but I’ve used whole grain, and it’s still been delicious.”
—u/rawlingstones
10. “If I’m making a dish that could benefit from a smoky, bacon-y flavor (think: roasted Brussels sprouts, pan-seared sea scallops, potatoes, or corn chowder) but I either don’t have or want to use bacon, I always use smoked paprika.”
“I put smoked paprika in lots of things like mac ‘n’ cheese, roasted vegetables, egg salad, and more, and it lends that delicious and smoky flavor.”
—u/veryfascinating
11. “I always have miso paste in my fridge, and I put it in anything that it will dissolve in — like pasta sauces, stews, gravies, marinades, and more. I love the extra punch of umami it brings to any dish.”
12. “Nutritional yeast. I know that it sounds like a health food, but I use it strictly for the taste. This stuff has a wonderful cheesy, nutty flavor. In my house, it has its supreme place next to salt and pepper. I use it on anything from pasta to roasted cauliflower.”
13. “I always add chicken stock cubes like Better Than Boullion to water when I’m boiling it for pasta (or other grains like quinoa, rice, etc). It doubles the tastiness of the pasta and sauce, giving it that much-needed umami flavor.”
2nd amendment mama; 4everontheRight; ADemocratNoMore; afraidfortherepublic; Aliska; Andy’smom;
—u/leonardo-di-caprisun
14. “I keep Parmesan rinds in my freezer and use them to make stock, sauces, and stews. I just throw it in after everything else to simmer. It makes a remarkable difference, especially in tomato sauces.”
15. “Whenever I’m baking using boxed cake mix, I use softened butter in place of vegetable oil. It gives the cake a softer, more moist texture.”
justchillman
16. “Whenever I bake something with chocolate, like brownies, I always add a little bit of coffee. It makes all the difference and actually brings out the rich, fudgy chocolate flavor even more.”
17. “Tajín seasoning is my secret weapon. It’s a spice mixture of dried chiles and dehydrated lime juice. It goes well in most any Mexican-inspired recipes, but it’s unexpectedly delicious on fruit like pineapple or mango. Oh, and I highly recommend trying it on grilled corn on the cob.”
18. “I use chicken- or beef-flavored ramen seasoning packets to make my gravy for mashed potatoes. It packs so much flavor.”
“I use the spice seasoning packet that comes with instant ramen as a popcorn seasoning. Mix the powder with some melted butter or margarine and then toss with the popcorn.”
—u/Thea_From_Juilliard
19. “I add cinnamon and/or nutmeg to savory dishes like stews, meat lasagna, Bolognese sauce, and more. I just use a dash (which is not enough for the flavors of the spices to be perceptible), but it imparts an amazing depth of flavor.”
20. “I add lard to my pie crust. All my pie crust, whether it’s for a savory dish (like a quiche or galette) or a sweet dessert. That extra bit of fat makes it all the more delicious.”
—u/FluffyBlizzard
21. “I use vinegar as a secret ingredient in soups and stews. If something is too salty, a splash of vinegar will make it taste balanced. If you over-salted and think you’ve ruined your whole meal, take a deep breath and reach for the vinegar.”
—u/misfireish
22. “I add lemon zest to garlic butter. It’s amazing on anything from chicken to pasta, but specifically for garlic bread it’s an absolute game changer. Even if you use just a little bit, you can taste a major difference.”
Two pieces of garlic bread on a white table
Two pieces of garlic bread on a white table
Getty Images
—u/PhatChance52
23. “I add a good shake of paprika to my egg salad whenever i make it. It tastes like deviled eggs on a sandwich, and it’s beyond delicious.”
24. “I add a spoonful of cottage cheese to my eggs before scrambling them. I know it sounds strange, but you can’t even taste it. The cottage cheese just makes the eggs perfectly fluffy.”
25. “Instead of milk, I use full fat vanilla or plain yogurt in my bathing mixture for French toast. It turns out perfectly every time.”
26. “Whenever I make chili, I always add dark cocoa powder, cinnamon, and coffee. It makes a huge difference in flavor.”
27. “Add a splash of orange juice to pumpkin or banana bread. The acidity really adds some brightness against the spices. I use this same ingredient hack when making carrot cake and zucchini bread, too.”
28. “Rice vinegar. If a recipe calls for soy sauce, I also always add rice vinegar to complement it — even if it’s not called for in the ingredient list. It adds the perfect amount of acidity, and I swear, it takes dishes like fried rice to the next level.”
Pouring rice vinegar into risotto
Pouring rice vinegar into risotto
Getty Images
—u/soulaire
29. “I mix melted butter and soy sauce together and use it as a sauce. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations. It’s excellent in just about anything savory, but my favorite use is for sautéed mushrooms.”
30. “Soy sauce. I add it to pretty much anything savory like tomato sauce for pasta, chili con carne, and even mushroom risotto.”
31. “Try using fish sauce in homemade Caesar salad. I had the best Caesar salad at a friend’s house, and she revealed her secret is using fish sauce instead of anchovies. I was floored and jealous I didn’t think of it first, but now I’ve adopted this flavor hack as my own.”
32. “Toss cooked noodles into toasted sesame oil after they’ve drained. All you need is a tiny bit, but it takes them to another level.”
—more at link
33. “I love cooking with toasted sesame seeds. If you’re making soup, stew, or broth, try sautéing a handful of sesame seeds and running them through the food processor with a bit of your cooking base. It adds a deep, rich, and nutty flavor.”
Toasted sesame seeds in skillet
Toasted sesame seeds in skillet
Getty Images
—u/Sideshowcomedy
34. “I swap in coconut milk for anything that could normally be boiled in water. I’m talking lentils, rice, quinoa, farro, etc. It makes the grains taste so much richer.”
An open can of coconut milk
An open can of coconut milk
Getty Images
—u/wheresdagoldat
35. “Sumac is my go-to ingredient, and I add it to tons of dishes right before serving. It’s ever-so-slightly sour, savory, and herbaceous, and it really helps brighten dishes. It adds a similar element to food as does a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
36. “Kaffir lime leaves. It imparts big, powerful lime flavor without having to keep fresh limes on hand all the time. Try adding it to curry or really any recipe that calls for coconut milk.”
37. “Mushroom powder is my go-to. It’s so underrated. I actually don’t love mushrooms in general, but porchini powder adds the perfect understated oomph to whatever savory dish you’re cooking.
Beef Stroganoff with mushrooms and mashed potatoes
Beef Stroganoff with mushrooms and mashed potatoes
Getty Images
—u/notreallylucy
So, what’s your secret ingredient or go-to flavor booster that you love using in your home cooking? Tell us in the comments!
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Thanks. I had always found beans kind of boring before, but they’ve become very interesting to me now.
Thanks. Those are very good tips. I can vouch for the anchovies - if they’re used right, nobody knows exactly what it is.
I once made a scalloped potato dish with Miso, that was great. I think it was in the original ‘Book of Miso’ by William Shurtleff. Will try to find it.
That is the prettiest illustration of a Scarlet Runner Bean that I’ve ever seen!
I grow them most years for the Hummingbirds. The bean seeds themselves are magical, but I never grow enough as a food crop. Will have to reconsider. :)
Beans, beans, the wonderful fruit
The more you eat, the more...
I toss in a couple of bay leaves when cooking beans.
I’ve never tried using bean liquid, aka aquafaba, for candy and whatnot but it sounds interesting: https://www.peta.org/living/food/vegan-aquafaba-recipes-egg-free/
According to Wiki, where I found it, it’s from an antique German book. I love those old volumes with illustrations of herbs, flowers, etc:
Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé
Flora von Deutschland,
Österreich und der Schweiz 1885, Gera, Germany
My husband has to sing that song every time we make beans...
I add about two teaspoons of ‘Coffee Mate’ powdered creamer to Cambells Tomato Soup - makes it so creamy and levels the tartness - add a bit of garlic powder - salt pepper and a clump of butter - Delicious!
When out of flour for gravey or thickening sauces - use Bisquick instead - only smaller amounts.
Potato starch - or even instant potato flakes - are good for thickening soups/sauces, too.
Well Im not a very good cook therefore bad with spices - so anything that simplifies cooking to taste more homemade I’m up for.
I use frozen canned tomatoes in Cambells Vegtable beef Soup - just scrap off enough to give it that homemade taste - it works.
I always have instant potatoes on hand - so that also might work for thickening.
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