Posted: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:00 am
McClatchy Newspapers
Well-cooked beans are delicious, and they can't be beat as a thrifty source of rich nutrients. Packed with protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber, they play a starring role in cuisines from around the world.
Canned beans are convenient, but they're often mushy and loaded with salt. Properly cooked from-scratch beans, on the other hand, are creamy and just tender enough.
As for that little problem of gas, it dissipates when beans become a regular part of your diet. There's some evidence it also helps to rinse the beans thoroughly after soaking and cook them in fresh water.
Here are tips for elevating lowly dried beans to greatness:
- Cover the beans with at least 4 inches of cold water and let them soak overnight for best results.
- If you forget, use the quick-soak method: Boil the beans for two minutes, remove from the heat and let soak for an hour.
- Drain soaked beans, cover with plenty of fresh water, bring to a strong boil, immediately reduce the heat and cook, covered, at as low a simmer as possible.
- Small beans generally require about 75 minutes, pinto and kidney beans 90 minutes and lima and larger beans two hours.
- Stir as little as possible to avoid breaking the beans.
- To further avoid breaking and splitting, remove beans from the heat 10 minutes before they should be done and let them finish cooking gently in the residual heat of the water.
Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans
2 cups cooked white beans (navy, cannellini or lima)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined but tail left on
Kosher or sea salt
1 small serrano or jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sliced garlic
1 cup peeled, seeded and diced tomato
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Heat oven to 250 F. Put beans in saucepan with just enough of their cooking liquid to moisten them. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and bring beans to a simmer. Place saucepan in the oven to keep warm.
Heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Add shrimp, season with salt, and cook about 1 minute, tossing often. Remove shrimp with tongs to a bowl. Add chile and garlic to the pan; saute until garlic browns. Stir in tomato, basil and lemon juice; cook about 1 minute. Stir in parsley and shrimp. Toss well and cook briefly to reheat shrimp.
Divide warm beans among 4 plates. Drizzle with the best olive oil you have, then top with shrimp. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.
Source: Adapted from "Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking" (Chronicle, 2002).