Why did I forget about BEANS?

[Sattua]

At one point in my life, I knew about beans. Specifically, I knew about warm beans and rice as a topper for salad greens, garnished with some diced tomato and shredded cheddar. I knew it. I ate it. I loved it. It was good for me.

Then somehow I forgot. Why did I forget? Beats me.

Today I remembered. I made beans and rice, and put it in salad. First bite? So good I actually yelled with appreciation. Now all I can do is dream about beans. I think, sometime soon, a black bean quesadilla? Salsa and melted cheese? Nice crisp toasty flatbread?

Behold, the power of BEANS!

[Liberal]

If you have a Southern background, you'll recall pinto beans cooked to soupy deliciousness, topped with chopped sweet onions, and accompanied by a big block of cornbread. Mmm...

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

I looove beans. Black beans mostly. Fry up an onion with cumin, toss in a can of black beans and some cayenne and garlic, cook down, mash a little, and add some lime juice. Presto, easy filling/dip!

Daniel

[Sattua]

I looove beans. Black beans mostly. Fry up an onion with cumin, toss in a can of black beans and some cayenne and garlic, cook down, mash a little, and add some lime juice. Presto, easy filling/dip!

Daniel

That's exactly what I did. Minus the lime juice.

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

The lime juice isn't necessary, but I like the little bit of sourness it adds. I sometimes use some pickled serrano chiles instead of the cayenne (we had tons of serranos in our garden last year, and I put most of them in mason jars with vinegar); I add some of the vinegar instead of the lime juice.

And yeah, Liberal, the soupy pintos are wonderful, too!

Daniel

[StarvingButStrong]

Please forgive a slight hijack:


I just finished making (improvising on) a recipe called "Hearty Vegetable Bean Soup" for tomorrow's dinner.

One of the ingredients it called for was "chili beans." Wassat? I've never heard of them before, and a careful search through two different supermarkets failed to turn up any such animal, in either can or dry bean format.

So...do they have a different name? (I'm up here in Yankee land.) Or are they some other common type of bean and the 'chili' comes from how they are prepared? (I used a can of black beans instead. Should I maybe toss in a tablespoon of chili powder or something?)

[2pelo honey]

Please forgive a slight hijack:


I just finished making (improvising on) a recipe called "Hearty Vegetable Bean Soup" for tomorrow's dinner.

One of the ingredients it called for was "chili beans." Wassat? I've never heard of them before, and a careful search through two different supermarkets failed to turn up any such animal, in either can or dry bean format.

So...do they have a different name? (I'm up here in Yankee land.) Or are they some other common type of bean and the 'chili' comes from how they are prepared? (I used a can of black beans instead. Should I maybe toss in a tablespoon of chili powder or something?)

I would guess either Kidneys, just because they're usually used in O-F Mom's chili, OR...at one time, I had seen a "chili beans" kinda thing, that were merely pinto's canned in chili flavored goo...does it look like your recipe could or would benefit from some chili powder or cumin? If so, add some...I bet the author just meant the type/size of bean? Oh, and I'm in Yankee land as well, I guess.

[Ferret Herder]

For "chili beans" I've also seen kidney beans in a spicy sauce (probably mostly chili powder).

Another bean idea: cannelini/great northern beans pureed with roasted red peppers, maybe some garlic. Grab chips or pita bread, dip.

[levdrakon]

Now that you've recently rediscovered your love of beans I can heartily recommend two brands.

First would be Hurst's (http://www.hurstbeans.com/) which you can probably find at your local grocery store. They make great bean soup/stew mixes.

Second, if you've got a little extra cash and are feeling a bit gourmet-ish, check out Indian Harvest (http://www.indianharvest.com/), based out of Minnesota. I don't know if they sell in stores, I've mostly gotten things mail-ordered from them. But they've got a great selection of beans & grains you've probably never even heard of.

[Autolycus]

I like edamame. I love soy sauce. I adore natto. Clearly soy is the King of Beans!

[Chefguy]

Loves me some beans. Black bean chili, white beans cooked up with smoked pork and onions, black bean and mango salsa, cassoulet. I would never classify kidney beans as chili beans, but to each his own.

[Beaucarnea]

I like edamame. I love soy sauce. I adore natto. Clearly soy is the King of Beans!


Oh, Autolycus, not the natto (http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/cat_steve_dont_eat_it.php). Noooo.........

[Dijon Warlock]

I used to HATE beans.

I always liked green beans (the pods), but the seed-type of beans were an abomination (they tasted like paste).

Then, I got a part-time, minimum-wage job at a Mexican stand in a food court in a shopping mall where I had constant access to their beans. They weren't "refried" beans (which looked like regurgitated beans to me), but simply pinto beans that were boiled, salted, and run through a coarse food grinder to make a pinkish-grey lumpy paste for inclusion in several of our signature dishes.

We had bean burritos, bean tacos, combination whatnots, tostadas, etc.

I eventually (during all of our unsupervised free time) began experimenting with little bits of the greypink beangunk, and realized that it wasn't that bad.

I'm a huge bean fan, now...and, in fact, just bought about 5 pounds of mixed dry beans to make loads of dishes with. There are (so the label says) 13 different kinds of beans in here, and since I cook for myself, it should last quite a while.

Still, they're full of protein and fiber! I like them mostly in chili, but also in savory, ham-flavored soups: a la smoked hamhock-type stuff with various veggies and meats.

Mmmmm....beans.....

As to the "chili beans": there are canned brand names that offer those (my local is "Mrs. Grimes").

[Quiddity Glomfuster]

Oh, Autolycus, not the natto (http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/cat_steve_dont_eat_it.php). Noooo.........
Oh. my. dear. lord. I'm laughing like a maniac at that site. And will never, ever let natto cross my lips.

[buns3000]

Loves me some beans. Black bean chili... Could I possibly trouble you for a recipe here? I have some black beans and don't know just what to do with 'em. I'd be most grateful to you, sir.

[Lynn Bodoni]

If you have a Southern background, you'll recall pinto beans cooked to soupy deliciousness, topped with chopped sweet onions, and accompanied by a big block of cornbread. Mmm... The cornbread is essential. I don't care what kind of beans you're eating, you need a big slice of cornbread to go with it. I prefer to cook the onions in with the beans, because I can't digest raw onions easily.

I'm gonna have to hit my favorite Mexican restaurant tomorrow, and get their signature platter. Taco and enchilada and rice and beans.

[Trunk]

Yesterday, I had a pork tenderloin to cook, and I wanted to do a soy-based marinade, but I wanted pork & beans and couldn't think of a good asian bean dish.

So, I made what I'm now calling "mole rub" (a dry rub with microplaned chocolate) for the tenderloin, and made black beans with onions, green chilis, and I used the Indian technique of "bhuna" (cooking spices in oil, and then adding to the already cooked beans) for my spices before adding to the black beans.

Other bean dishes. . .

I make a pork chop dish with cannellini beans & onions that is sort of Italian, and Maine baked beans with bacon and/or franks and corn bread.

I grew up eating pork n beans once a week. I'll never forget about beans.

I make a pretty decent chili with kidneys and/or black beans.

[Chefguy]

Could I possibly trouble you for a recipe here? I have some black beans and don't know just what to do with 'em. I'd be most grateful to you, sir.

I posted this in another thread some time back: Right here. (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=254821&highlight=black+bean+chili) You can make this with beef, also. I used canned black beans, but I'm sure dried would be fine, just taking much longer.

[Beaucarnea]

Oh. my. dear. lord. I'm laughing like a maniac at that site. And will never, ever let natto cross my lips.

(I know. I've got a huge crush on that guy because he is so very funny...)

Cuban black bean spread


2 cups mashed black beans
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 -3 tablespoons orange or pineapple juice
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chili powder (or to taste)
salt and pepper

I like to make this very spicy and add red chili flakes, too. Great on flat bread or crackers.

[teela brown]

I like edamame. I love soy sauce. I adore natto. Clearly soy is the King of Beans!

I'm on the natto team, too, Autolycus. It may gross out the weaklings by looking stringy and weird, but those of us in the know can savor its cheesey, toasty flavor. I especially like it in a sushi with a little egg yolk and minced green onions. Yum. Now I'm going to want to have some for lunch today!

[devilsknew]

Tried a new bean for the first time the other day, Field Peas and Snaps (http://www.gloryfoods.com/product.asp?show=1&key=%7B4399FFFF-B7D3-4D6E-ACEA-3C25FBB991AF%7D). I'm not sure what kind of legumes field peas are but they're mighty tasty, a little like black eyed peas but smaller and less bitter. I love the smokey, hammy, potlikker that Glory uses for most of their products, really zings it up and adds the soul. Field peas are definitely worth a try if you like beans.

I had some of the field peas and snaps leftover in the fridge and was having some campbell's tomato soup for lunch... so I added the leftover field peas and snaps with its likker to the soup, heated it up, added some hot sauce, and made a really enjoyable concoction. 100 times better than the humdrum tomato soup alone...

[Liberal]

You've only just now had field peas and snaps? Bless your heart. [...headed to the kitchen...]

[Tully Mars]

I'm gonna have to hit my favorite Mexican restaurant tomorrow, and get their signature platter. Taco and enchilada and rice and beans.That's strange. I went to a Mexican restaurant the other day, and they had that, too. :)

[LifeOnWry]

I find myself beaning quite frequently since I've given up meat. Tonight I threw two half recipes together and made a whole new taste treat - sauteed some fresh chopped garlic, fresh mushrooms, cannelini beans, chopped up escarole and a can of petite diced tomatoes. Oh, and some crushed red pepper flakes. Tossed it all over farfalle (bowtie) pasta, and added a couple handfuls of grated Romano cheese.

Nummy nummy.

[thirdname]

Is it possible to somehowcook dried beans, such as red beans, black beans, and maybe lentils or lima beans, with a standard rice cooker? I just got one. I'm a lazy bachelor, who can't be bothered with pots and pans; when I eat beans they come out of cans.

[Chefguy]

Is it possible to somehowcook dried beans, such as red beans, black beans, and maybe lentils or lima beans, with a standard rice cooker? I just got one. I'm a lazy bachelor, who can't be bothered with pots and pans; when I eat beans they come out of cans.

Might be iffy. Beans don't all cook the same, some requiring more vigorous boiling before dropping to a simmer. I'm not at all familiar with rice cooker capabilities, so it's a guess.

[Lynn Bodoni]

Is it possible to somehowcook dried beans, such as red beans, black beans, and maybe lentils or lima beans, with a standard rice cooker? I just got one. I'm a lazy bachelor, who can't be bothered with pots and pans; when I eat beans they come out of cans. It's very possible to cook beans in a slow cooker, but I don't know about a rice cooker. Since you're a bachelor, you probably don't have whole hams very often. :( Get a ham steak, cut it into individual servings, and cook a serving with your canned beans, or panfry it first before dicing it and putting it in the beans. The ham steaks I buy are only partially cooked, so check the ones in your area. They freeze nicely. Or make up a big pot of beans and freeze THAT in individual servings.

[thirdname]

Is it possible to somehowcook dried beans, such as red beans, black beans, and maybe lentils or lima beans, with a standard rice cooker? I just got one. I'm a lazy bachelor, who can't be bothered with pots and pans; when I eat beans they come out of cans.To clarify, I usually eat beans out of a can, heated in the microwave. I was asking if I could use the rice cooker to cook dried beans that come in bags and are cheaper. I suspected the answer is 'no' because I have a simple, standard rice cooker that just goes until the excess water is gone and the pan goes above 212 degrees F, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

[cher3]

Is it possible to somehowcook dried beans, such as red beans, black beans, and maybe lentils or lima beans, with a standard rice cooker? I just got one. I'm a lazy bachelor, who can't be bothered with pots and pans; when I eat beans they come out of cans.

I don't know about the other beans, but lentils cook much faster and don't require soaking. I think you would be able to make lentils in a rice cooker, but you would want to add more water than you would if you were making rice.

[2pelo honey]

My one attempt at preparing dried beans was such a miserable failure, it scared me away from them, for the most part, other than lentils or split peas...I think all the varieties of canned beans are one of the greatest things ever, and never bother w/ dried anymore.

[teela brown]

Is it possible to somehowcook dried beans, such as red beans, black beans, and maybe lentils or lima beans, with a standard rice cooker? I just got one. I'm a lazy bachelor, who can't be bothered with pots and pans; when I eat beans they come out of cans.

Try the empirical evidence approach. Sort a cup of dry pinto beans, looking for little dirt clods or stones, and soak them overnight. Throw 'em in the rice cooker, add 3 cups of water, set it for cooking rice and see what happens. The worst outcome is that you've wasted a cup of cheap beans.

My rice cooker takes about 45 minutes to cook rice, and that might be enough time to cook long-soaked pinto beans.

[Kuizelemartz]

One of the ingredients it called for was "chili beans." Wassat? I've never heard of them before, and a careful search through two different supermarkets failed to turn up any such animal, in either can or dry bean format.

So...do they have a different name? (I'm up here in Yankee land.) Or are they some other common type of bean and the 'chili' comes from how they are prepared? (I used a can of black beans instead. Should I maybe toss in a tablespoon of chili powder or something?)

Down south here, they don't put chili beans with the canned vegetables. They are in the aisle labeled "canned meat". So the chili beans are actually by the canned tuna. I have no idea why they do that, but they do.

[levdrakon]

Try the empirical evidence approach. Sort a cup of dry pinto beans, looking for little dirt clods or stones, and soak them overnight. Throw 'em in the rice cooker, add 3 cups of water, set it for cooking rice and see what happens. The worst outcome is that you've wasted a cup of cheap beans.

My rice cooker takes about 45 minutes to cook rice, and that might be enough time to cook long-soaked pinto beans.This seems like an experiment worth trying. I'd rinse the beans as you say, then put them in the rice cooker, cover them with cold water and soak them overnight (or 8 hours, you know the drill), rinse the beans again in the morning, cover them with an inch or so of fresh water, turn the rice cooker on and let them go. If your rice cooker is smart enough to shut off when the water's cooked off, you should be safe. It seems to me the worst that can happen is the beans are undercooked, you add more water, reset the rice cooker to cook 'em again.

I'd do this on a day off so I could hang around the house and monitor things, but I don't see why it couldn't work.

[devilsknew]

You will probably need to run it through two cycles of the rice cooker if it only goes for 45 minutes. Beans need about an hour and a half, even pre soaked.