Re: Red Kidney Beans and Cannellini Beans

[Guest guest]

Hi ;

Yes, the beans need to be cooked before using. Soaking them

overnight only slightly softens them and most folks use the overnight

soaking method to help rid the beans of gas. Personally, I like to

use the quick-soak method. Rinse the beans well under water. Put

into a large pot with about 10 cups of water per 1 lb of dry beans.

Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, with lid on, for

3 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit at least 1 hour but preferably

3 hours. Rinse beans in colander and rinse pot with cold water.

Return beans back to pot and add 10 cups of cold water. Bring to a

boil and simmer until desired tenderness.

I like the convenience of canned beans, but the dried ones are

certainly less expensive. I have not seen added sugar in canned

beans (unless it's a pork/beans product or baked beans), only water

and salt. I also like to rinse the canned beans before using too.

Just an FYI... cooked beans freeze very well. I hope that has helped!

Donna

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> Cooking question about beans. Forgive my lack of basic cooking

> knowledge.

>

> If I make a cold salad with beans such as Red Kidney Beans, Black

Beans

> or the Cannellini Beans and choose to use raw agriculture beans

that

> have been soaked (verses the ones from the can that have sodium and

> problably sugar added) do they need to be cooked? Or can I soak

them

> overnight and put them directly into a cold salad?

>

> For example the " Cannellini Bean Salad " that was resently posted on

> this sight...

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I wasn't sure what you meant by raw. Are the beans you have dried, or

fresh? (I guess the word " agriculture " in your question is what has

me wondering--I'm not familiar with the term in relation to beans.)

Donna has already given you a thorough answer on the dried variety. I

dug up some info on fresh shell beans since I plan to grow some in my

garden this summer and will need to know anyway. I may grow some

cowpeas too, and I presume the same applies to them.

In short, the answer seems to be that you need to cook fresh shell

beans but the time varies greatly depending on the age and variety.

And judging by the amount of effort the preparation seems to take, I

*won't* be growing any limas! Hope this helps!

SHELL BEANS

To remove shell beans from the pod, split the pod open and push out

the beans with your thumb; rinse the shelled beans before cooking. It

may be easier to open the pod if you shave the seam of the curved

side with a paring knife or vegetable peeler. Large fava beans not

only need to be shelled, but their tough skins must be peeled either

before or after cooking; small, young favas need not be skinned. To

peel the raw beans, split the skin with your thumbnail or a sharp

paring knife. The skins of cooked favas will slip off easily.

Boiling:Shell beans can be simmered in water or stock. Place the

beans in a pot with boiling liquid to cover. Cover the pot, reduce

the heat, and simmer the beans until tender. Beans can also be cooked

with onions, garlic, tomatoes and other seasonings. Cooking time: 5

to 20 minutes (the shortest time is for baby limas; the longest is

for large fava beans).

Microwaving: Place 2 cups of shell beans in a dish with 1 tablespoon

of water, cover, and cook until tender, stirring beans midway through

cooking. Cooking time: 4 to 8 minutes.

Steaming: Steam shell beans over boiling water. Cooking time: 5 to 20

minutes.

(from wholehealthmd.com)

Candace

On Feb 17, 2006, at 4:57 AM, South-Beach-Diet-Getting-It-

Right wrote:

> Hi Everyone,

>

> Cooking question about beans. Forgive my lack of basic cooking

> knowledge.

>

> If I make a cold salad with beans such as Red Kidney Beans, Black

> Beans

> or the Cannellini Beans and choose to use raw agriculture beans that

> have been soaked (verses the ones from the can that have sodium and

> problably sugar added) do they need to be cooked? Or can I soak them

> overnight and put them directly into a cold salad?

>

> For example the " Cannellini Bean Salad " that was resently posted on

> this sight...

>

>