BEANS AND THEIR PREPARATION

VARIETIES OF BEANS

47. Of all the vegetables commonly used for food, BEANS afford the greatest variety. However, there are two principal classes into which all varieties of this vegetable can be placed, namely, string beans and shell beans. String beans include both the pods and the seeds, and are used when the beans are very young. Shell beans consist of the seeds, which are allowed to mature either partly or entirely and are taken from the shells before cooking. Those which are partly developed are cooked when they are fresh, but the ones that are allowed to mature completely are dried and then stored for use at any time during the year. In some cases, the same variety of beans may be used in the three ways mentioned, while in others certain kinds are raised expressly for one of these purposes.

48. The food value of beans increases as they mature, as will be observed upon reference to Table I. The very young beans, that is, the string beans, which include the pods and all, are comparatively low in food value, being only a little higher than asparagus. To increase the food value of these, fat meat, butter, or other fat is supplied in their cooking, or milk or a cream sauce is added before they are served. Fresh shell beans have much more nutriment than string beans, whereas dried beans are very high in food value. It is this characteristic of dried shell beans that makes them a very good meat substitute.

STRING BEANS

49. VARIETIES OF STRING BEANS.--There are two general varieties of string beans: the yellow ones, which are commonly known as wax beans, and the green ones, which are the ones usually meant when the term string beans is used. Numerous varieties exist among these classes, and some are very much better than others. Many of them have strings, but others are stringless and consequently are easier to prepare. Whatever kind is used should be picked from the vines before the beans are old enough for the pods to develop woody fibers. Otherwise they will not be palatable, for when they have reached this stage it will be impossible to cook them soft.

50. SELECTION AND CARE.--Small, round, rusty-looking spots are common to both string and wax beans; but when such spots are present they must be removed before cooking. As there is considerable waste in the preparation of such beans for the table, it is wise in buying string beans to select those whose surface is not marred with such blemishes. In addition, the beans should be as fresh as can be obtained and crisp and tender enough to snap when the pods are bent in half. Proper attention should be given to them after they are purchased, too. If possible, they should be cooked immediately, but if this cannot be done they should be kept in a cool, damp place to prevent them from becoming limp. However, if they wilt before they can be cooked, they may be freshened by allowing them to stand in cold water for a short time.

51. PREPARATION AND COOKING.--To prepare beans for cooking, wash them thoroughly in cold water. If the beans are of the stringless variety, cut off the stem and blossom ends; but, in case they have strings, break the ends and strip off the strings together with the ends, as shown in Fig. 3. The beans may then be cooked whole or cut into inch lengths before cooking. If it is desired to cut them, the most convenient way is to place them in an orderly heap on a cutting board and then cut a handful at a time, drawing a sharp knife across them as they are held on the board. Any imperfect portions should be removed before cutting.

52. The cooking of string beans is similar to that of asparagus, except that they require longer cooking. Put them, either whole or cut into a kettle, cover them with boiling water to which has been added 1 teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water, and cook them with the cover on the kettle until they can be easily pierced with a fork. The length of time required to cook them depends on the age of the beans, but usually from 30 minutes to 1 hour will be sufficient. When they are done, drain the water from them, but save it to make sauce for them or to add to soup stock.

53. STRING BEANS IN BUTTER.--String beans, which, of course, include wax beans, may be served with a sauce of some kind, but they are very appetizing when merely drained after cooking and served with melted butter.

To prepare beans in this manner, wash the desired amount, remove the ends and strings, if necessary, and cut into inch lengths. Cook until they are tender and then pour off the water. Add 1 tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served, a dash of pepper, and, if they are not salty enough, a little more salt. Allow the butter to melt and serve the beans hot.

54. STRING BEANS WITH SALT PORK.--Those who like the flavor of salt pork will find string beans cooked with a small piece of this meat very appetizing. Besides improving the flavor, salt pork supplies the beans with fat, a food substance in which they are very low.

After washing the beans that are to be cooked in this way, remove the ends and strings, but do not cut into inch lengths. Put the whole beans to cook in boiling water and add 1/4 pound of pork for a sufficient amount of beans for four persons. Cook until the beans are tender, and serve with the pork without removing from the liquid.

55. CREAMED STRING BEANS.--Perhaps the most popular way in which to prepare string or wax beans is to cream them. Not only an appetizing dish, but one whose food value is increased, is the result. The cream sauce served with the beans may be made entirely of milk, but a very satisfactory sauce can be made by using half milk or cream and half liquid in which the beans were cooked. To prepare creamed beans, clean the beans in the usual way and cut them into inch lengths. Put them to cook in boiling salted water and cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork. Pour off the water, but keep it to use in the dressing. To dress a sufficient quantity of beans for four persons, a sauce should be made as follows:

SAUCE FOR CREAMED STRING BEANS

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, salt, and pepper. Pour in the heated liquids and stir until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly cooked. Add the sauce to the beans, heat together, and serve.

56. STRING BEANS WITH SOUR DRESSING.--A dish having an entirely different flavor from those already explained is produced when beans are served with a sour dressing.

To prepare beans in this way, clean a sufficient number according to the directions already given and cut them into inch lengths. Cook them in boiling salted water until they are tender. Pour off the water, but retain 1/2 cupful for the dressing. Make the following sauce, which will dress a sufficient quantity of beans for four persons:

SOUR DRESSING

Melt the fat in a double boiler, add the flour, and into this stir the vinegar and the liquid from the beans. Cook until the mixture thickens and pour over the beans. Reheat and serve.

SHELL BEANS

57. VARIETIES AND FOOD VALUE OF SHELL BEANS.--When beans have matured on the vines to such an extent that the pods are no longer tender enough for human consumption, they are picked and the seeds then used for food. Some are picked before the seeds have entirely matured, and these, which must be young enough to contain considerable moisture, are cooked fresh; others are allowed to mature entirely and are then dried before they are cooked. After being dried, beans keep indefinitely and require no care in storage except that they must not become moist. Numerous varieties of both fresh and dried shell beans are in use, including navy, marrowfat, pinto, and Lima beans.

58. Fresh shell beans average about three times as much food value as string or wax beans. Most of this is carbohydrate in the form of starch, but they also contain considerable protein. Dried shell beans, which are entirely different in flavor and texture from fresh ones, contain still more nutriment, their food value being more than twice that of fresh shell beans and over four times that of potatoes. In the entirely matured bean, which, as has already been mentioned, belongs to the class of vegetables called legumes, the high food value is due to the high percentage of starch and the large amount of protein in the form of legumin, a substance that is an important substitute for other more expensive protein foods. This composition reveals at once the fact that dried shell beans make an excellent food, provided some fat is added to them in their preparation.

59. PREPARATION AND COOKING OF FRESH SHELL BEANS.--With the exception of Lima beans, most of the varieties of fresh shell beans are placed on the market in the pods and must be shelled after they are purchased. Green Lima beans, however, are usually sold shelled. If the beans are purchased in the pods, wash them in cold water before shelling, but if they are bought shelled, wash the shelled beans. Then put them to cook in sufficient boiling water to which has been added 1 teaspoonful of salt for each quart. Allow the beans to cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork. The cooking will probably require from 45 minutes to 1-1/2 hours, depending on the age and variety of the beans.

60. SHELL BEANS DRESSED WITH BUTTER.--Any variety of fresh shell beans may be prepared according to the accompanying recipe, but Lima beans are especially delicious when cooked in this way.

Prepare and cook the beans as directed in Art. 59. When they are sufficiently cooked, pour off the water, season with additional salt, if necessary, and a dash of pepper, and add 1 tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. Allow the butter to melt and serve the beans hot.

61. SHELL BEANS IN CREAM.--Fresh shell beans are especially appetizing when they are dressed with cream. Besides improving the flavor, cream also adds considerable food value, an item that should not be overlooked.

For this dish, prepare and cook the beans in the manner explained in Art. 59. When they are tender, pour off the water and season with additional salt and pepper. Then for each four persons to be served, add 1 tablespoonful of butter and 1/2 cupful of thin cream. Heat the beans well in the cream and serve.

62. BEAN PURÉE.--Persons with whom the coarse skins that must necessarily be eaten with beans disagree, find bean purée very satisfactory. To prepare it, clean and cook the beans in boiling salted water according to the directions given in Art. 59. Then pour off the water and force the beans through a ricer or a sieve. Add sufficient butter, salt, and pepper to season well and serve hot.

63. COOKING OF DRIED SHELL BEANS.--Before dried shell beans of any variety are cooked, look them over very carefully, reject any that are unfit for use, and wash the rest in cold water. They may then be cooked without further preparation, but in order to hasten their cooking and save fuel in their preparation, it is a good plan to moisten them by soaking them in water before cooking. If they are to be soaked, place them in cold water and allow them to remain there for 8 to 12 hours. Then put them on to cook in water to which has been added a small pinch of soda. Parboil the beans in this water until the outside skin begins to crack and then pour off the water. While it is true that a certain amount of mineral salts and perhaps a small percentage of food value are lost in this procedure, because the water that is poured off is too strong to be used for any other purpose, the improvement in the flavor warrants any loss that might occur. After pouring off the water, wash the beans in cold water, add fresh water to continue the cooking, and allow the beans to simmer slowly until they are cooked soft enough to crush between the fingers, but still retain their original shape. Nothing is gained by cooking them rapidly on a hot fire, and considerable fuel is wasted by this practice.

The fireless cooker and the double boiler are excellent utensils for the cooking of dried beans, because they cook the beans at a temperature below boiling point. They therefore cook the beans soft with little difficulty and prevent the protein from becoming hard. The theory of the cooking of protein--that is, the higher the temperature, the harder the coagulation--applies in the cooking of dried beans, just as it does in the cooking of eggs or milk.

64. STEWED NAVY BEANS.--The common small white beans are called navy beans from the fact that they are much used in the navy. These may be prepared in various ways, but the simplest method is to stew them. In the preparation of this dish, as well as any other made from dried beans, it will be well to remember that 1/2 cupful of beans is usually sufficient to serve four persons when they are cooked.

Look over the required amount of beans, reject any that are imperfect, wash thoroughly, and put to soak overnight in cold water. Pour off any water that remains, cover well with boiling water, and add a pinch of soda. Cook slowly until the skins begin to burst. Pour off the water, add fresh hot water and 1 teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water, and allow to simmer until the beans may be easily crushed between the fingers. During this process, the water should cook down until just a sufficient amount to serve with the beans remains. When this is accomplished, add 1-1/2 tablespoonfuls of butter, a dash of pepper, and, if necessary, additional salt. Instead of the butter, ham or bacon fat may be used for seasoning, or a small piece of ham or salt pork may be cooked with the beans and the fat omitted. Serve the beans hot.

65. LIMA BEANS IN CREAM.--Dried Lima beans, when combined with thin cream, make a very appetizing dish. To prepare them in this way, clean, soak, and cook them as explained in Art. 63. When they are soft enough to crush easily between the fingers and the water has boiled down so that practically none remains, add 1/2 cupful of thin cream to a sufficient quantity for four persons. Allow the beans to simmer for a short time in the cream, add additional salt and a dash of pepper for flavoring, and serve.

66. LIMA BEANS EN CASSEROLE.--While the small varieties of dried beans are more commonly baked than the larger ones, Lima beans will be found especially delicious when prepared in a casserole.

LIMA BEANS EN CASSEROLE

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Soak the beans overnight and then parboil them in soda water. Drain off the water and turn the beans into a baking dish. Add the fat, milk, salt, and pepper. Cover the dish and bake until the beans are soft. Serve hot from the casserole.

67. LIMA-BEAN LOAF.--If a dish that is not only appetizing, but sufficient in food value to be used as a meat substitute, is desired, Lima-bean loaf, which is illustrated in Fig. 4, should be selected. This is very good when served alone, but it becomes more attractive and at the same time more palatable when a sauce or gravy is added.

LIMA-BEAN LOAF

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Soak the beans overnight and parboil them in soda water. Pour off this water, cook until tender in boiling salted water, and then drain. Moisten the bread crumbs slightly with milk, mix them with the beans, and add the beaten eggs and seasoning. When the entire mixture is well blended, place in a loaf pan, dot the top with the butter, and bake in the oven until nicely browned and quite firm. Turn out on a platter, garnish with parsley, and serve by cutting it into slices, as shown in Fig. 4.

68. BEAN SOUFFLÉ.--Probably the daintiest dish that can be made from dried beans is bean soufflé. This is equally suitable as the main dish for a luncheon or a home dinner. One point to remember about it is that it should be served immediately, for soufflé usually settles when taken from the oven.

BEAN SOUFFLÉ

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Make the bean pulp by forcing well-cooked beans through a colander or a press. Add all the seasoning and the beaten egg yolks. Beat the egg whites stiff and fold them into the mixture. When well blended, pour into a greased baking dish, or individual dishes, place in a pan containing hot water, and bake in a moderate oven until the soufflé is set, which will require from 30 to 45 minutes. Test by tapping slightly with the finger. If the dent thus made in the soufflé springs back, it is sufficiently baked. Remove from the oven and serve at once.

69. BAKED BEANS.--Almost any kind of dried beans may be used for baking. Some persons prefer the small navy beans, which are mentioned in this recipe, whereas others like the larger marrowfat beans or Lima beans. Pinto beans have for some time been taking the place of navy beans, and are found to be a very good substitute. To bake beans successfully, a dish with a tight-fitting cover, such as the one shown in Fig. 5, is required. This is made of heavy glass, but if such a utensil is not available, very satisfactory results can be obtained by using a heavy earthen bowl, crock, or baking dish. To produce the delicious flavor that is agreeable to most persons, beans should be baked a long time. Therefore, as considerable heat is consumed in their cooking, it is a wise plan to prepare more than enough for one meal. They may be served the second time as baked beans, or, if this is not desired, they may be used for various other purposes.

BAKED BEANS

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Soak the beans overnight, parboil in soda water, and drain. Add a sufficient amount of water to cover the beans well, cook until they break open, and then pour with the liquid into a baking dish. If this liquid does not almost cover the beans, add more until it comes nearly to the top. Add the molasses and salt, cut the salt pork into pieces, and distribute these well through the beans, placing a piece or two over the top. The beans should then appear as shown in Fig. 5. Place the cover on the dish and bake in a slow oven for 4 or 5 hours. Remove the cover occasionally, stir the beans carefully so as not to crush nor break them, and add enough water from time to time to keep the beans well moistened. When done, the beans should be light brown in color, but the top should be well browned. Sometimes it will be found necessary to remove the cover in order to brown the beans sufficiently.

70. BEAN CROQUETTES.--Left-over baked beans need never be wasted, for there are numerous uses to which they can be put. If it is not desired to reheat them and serve them again as baked beans, they may be utilized in soup, salads, and sandwiches, or they may be made into soufflé, as explained in Art. 68, or into croquettes according to the accompanying recipe. Bean croquettes may be served plain, but they are much improved by the addition of tomato sauce.

BEAN CROQUETTES

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To the beans add the bread crumbs slightly moistened with milk. Stir in the egg, beaten, and the salt and pepper. Blend the entire mixture, form into croquettes, and roll in dry crumbs. Bake in the oven until brown, sauté in shallow fat, or fry in deep fat. Place on a platter, garnish with parsley, and serve plain or with tomato sauce.