Spilling the Beans

Dear Reader,

Pull up your seat at The Kitchen Table. This week I’m sharing my flexible method for making beans, with suggestions for how to flavour them to your liking!

Being in a bean routine is one of the greatest and most delicious life hacks. Having a versatile starchy protein on-hand lends itself to many different culinary directions, it’s no wonder they are a staple in most cultures. The nice thing about having a pot of beans sitting in your fridge is it gives a light sense of urgency to actually use them. I know I’m not the only one who tends to have a can of mixed beans collecting dust at the back of my pantry (if this is you, bring them to life with my marinade recipe!). They are great on their own with a drizzle of chili oil or a dollop of pesto as pictured above. I find them a very luxurious side dish to roasted meats like chicken, lamb, pork, or sausages. You can beef up a salad or grain bowl by adding beans; toss them with roasted veg and chunks of feta; wilt in some kale and top it all off with a poached egg; the options are limitless!

But first, let’s go over the basic principles of bean making: