by Nadine Sellers

Created on: March 27, 2009   Last Updated: March 29, 2009

The Honorable Bean..Here for your nutritious pleasure and lifelong health, may I present my favorite leguminous friends. From the height of the kitchen chair, I stirred my very first pot of beans, an easy lesson in French cuisine.

Ingredients at the ready on collapsible Italian table, I set to cut a whole tear some onion into small wedges. Then to dissect a whole head of garlic into perfect naked cloves, and a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley tied with cotton thread into a bundle.

I dutifully tore two dried leaves of bay leaf and a sprig of thyme which i neatly formed into a bouquet, inserted it with four little brown cloves in a cloth bag to be retrieved at serving time.

Beans, swollen from their overnight water soak, were ready for heat, some of the beige skins floated loosely as i poured out the extra liquid. I lit the flint rod and turned the knob on the gas stove, fell off the chair in the effort to hold the gadget and simultaneously twist the handle and whoosh the blue flames.

Mother's new aluminum pan brimming with the ingredients, I stood for one watchful hour stirring and testing the hardness of the plump white coco beans, a specially nutty variety.

Every soup or casserole cooked thereafter became a step-child of this basic mother of all beaneries. A sort of mix and match, add inspiration and enjoy.

Basic recipe:

1 lb bag of beans, any beans, all beans. clean under running water in colander.

1 large onion, cut in small chunks; place a bowl of water nearby to reduce tears.

1 head of garlic, cut cloves in half.

1 bundle of flat leaf parsley tied with cotton.

1 bay leaf.

1 sprig of thyme or 1 Tbsp of powdered thyme and oregano.

1 tsp ground cloves or 4 whole cloves.

1 small dried cayenne pepper <optional.

1 large tomato cut in quarters.

1 tsp. sea salt, a pinch of black pepper.

Insert spices in a cotton bag made of a square of cotton mesh for easy removal before serving. It is better to add the tomato only when the beans are becoming tender.

Cook in a Crockpot on low for 8 hours-or on medium on stove top for 1 hour for small beans longer for large ones.

For a start up list of optional ingredients:

A piece of salt pork, ham hocks, turkey breast, neck bones. Pre-cook meat in pan till slightly tender prior to adding the beans, simmer together till soft.

Sun dried tomatoes or apricots will add sweet and tart tinges of flavor.

A glass of wine or water with three Tbsp. wine vinegar added in last phase of cooking. 20 minutes prior to fully cooked.

At serving time: For white beans, navy, Lima, coco varieties, sprinkle a spoon of walnut or olive oil, stir gently.

For red beans, kidney, pintos; add a spoon of sour cream.

Variation in aroma: Curry, cinnamon, pumpkin spice or chili powder, add a Tbsp for desired effect, mix or match. Bon appetit! from my tastiest memories.

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