July
2002
I've always loved to cook with beans, They are
nutritional, inexpensive and delicious. I don't think
the average person recognizes how versatile beans can
be. There are so many different varieties of beans,
and so many creative ways to prepare them. The Bean
Book demonstrates that beans are more than just a side
dish or a filler. In The Bean Book, beans are the
main attraction in everything from soups and
appetizers to salads and main courses.
The book starts off with a brief history on beans
and describes the nutritional and health value, and
then goes on to describe all the major beans and
offers tips on preparation and cooking. The
chapters are divided by categories starting with soups
and appetizers, vegetarian entrees, meat entrees,
salads and lastly, ' more than beans' which showcases
recipes for chick peas, lentils and and split peas.
The recipes range from classic bean favorites
such as speedy mixed baked beans and split pea soup to
all sorts of international dishes such as baked bean
cassoulet, chile con carne, fava bean lemon and
parmesan risotto, minestrone soup and North African
fish stew with couscous. Most of the recipes are
accompanied by striking, artistic photos which really
capture the essence of the dish.
About half of the recipes call for canned beans
which at first turned me off, but I realized that this
book is geared toward home cooks who want simple
recipes that are also creative. The recipes are
really easy to follow, on the top of the page of each
recipe it lists the preparation time and the cooking
time. recipes such as penne with artichoke pesto,
black bean and cabbage stew, red beans with coconut
and cashews and red pepper and bean cake with lemon
mayonnaise only take 1/2 hour to prepare and cook.
Canned beans are a smart alternative when time is an
issue. Yet there are some slightly more complex
recipes such as the lamb, navy bean and endive
casserole with a bread crumb topping. This recipe
calls for 30 minutes of prep time plus overnight
soaking of the beans, and two and a half hours of
cooking time. The only recipe in the book which has a
preparation time of more than 30 minutes is the
chickpea, spinach and pumpkin stew with tomato and
chile aioli. This had a prep time of only 35 minutes.
The average recipe in the Bean book has a prep time
of 15 minutes. The chile con carne entree has a prep
time of only 5 minutes. You can't beat that if you
are a cook on the go, yet still want a healthy and
satisfying meal.
The bean book is a nice addition to anyone's
cookbook collection. The recipes are innovative, yet
not intimidating to anyone. If you already have a
passion for beans you will enjoy the fun recipes and
exquisite photos. For those of you who have always
thought of beans as a simple side dish, The Bean
Book will be a real eye opener.