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Dried Peas, Beans and Lentils

The dried legumes are excellent if properly cooked, and form a palatable dish if simply boiled until tender and seasoned with butter, pepper and salt. The first important step is the swelling and softening of the legume by soaking in water a number of hours, usually not less than eight, and the removal of such parts as will not soften by cooking. The skin of the ripened pea and lentil is easily removed, and both peas and lentils are therefore more easily prepared than beans. Many kinds of beans, however, after proper soaking may be freed from their skins by stirring in water. The skins rise to the top and can be skimmed off. The large lima beans after soaking may easily be slipped out of the skins by pressing them between the fingers.

Soft water should be used for both soaking and boiling the legumes; but if neither is available, simply boil the water before using and pour it from the sediment. In soaking beans baking soda may be used to soften the water (using a quarter teaspoon of soda dissolved in one quart of water to every pound of beans), as it increases the digestibility of the beans and does not destroy the flavor.

Dried peas, beans and lentils are better if cooked slowly all day. If desired, the flavor may be improved by the addition of onion, flavoring herbs or meat stock. The legumes may be left whole or mashed through a sieve. In either case they will be greatly improved by the addition of butter and abundant seasoning; the salt should be cooked with them, allowing one half tablespoon for one pint of beans, and the pepper added with the butter.