You may also like
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (1 cup) dried beans, peas, or lentils
- 1 small onion or 1 large shallot, peeled and stuck with 2 whole cloves
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled, lightly smashed
- 1/2 serrano or jalapeno seeded and deribbed, or 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 imported bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Method
- Place the beans in a large saucepan, add enough cool water to cover by 1 1/2 inches, and soak overnight at room temperature.
- (Peas and lentils do not need to be soaked.)
- Discard any beans that are broken, off-colored, or floating.
- (Or, if using peas or lentils, pick over, rinse, and place in a large scaucepan with water to cover by 1 1/2 inches.)
- Add the onion, garlic, chile, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil over moderate heat, then reduce the heat to low.
- Cook the beans (or peas or lentils) at a bare simmer until they are just tender but not mushy--they should hold their shape; do not allow them to boil, or they will become tough.
- (See below for General Cooking Times for Dried Beans, Peas, and Legumes.)
- If necessary, replenish the water, so that it stays 1 inch above the top of the beans.
- Halfway through the cooking time, stir in the salt.
- Remove from the heat.
- If you are using them right away, drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
- Remove and discard the onion, garlic, chile, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf.
- If you are not using them immediately, allow the beans to cool in their cooking liquid before draining.
- (Keep the cooking liquid to reheat the beans or to use in many of the recipes that follow.)
- You can keep beans, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
