Hasthereeverbeenamoregenerousingredientthanthebean?Down-home,yethaute,soul-satisfyinglyhearty,valued,versatiledeeplydelectable,healthful,andinexpensivetoboot,there’snothingabeancan’tdo--andnothingthatCrescentDragonwagoncan’tdowithbeans.Fromoldfriendslikechickpeasandpintostorediscoveredheirloombeanslikerattlesnakebeansandteparies,fromgreenbeansandfreshshellbeanstopeanuts,lentils,andpeas,BeanbyBeanisthedefinitivecookbookonbeans.It’sa175-plusrecipecornucopiaoverflowingwithinformation,kitchenwisdom,lore,anecdotes,andazestforgoodfoodandgoodtimes.Considerthelentil,totakeoneexample.Discoveritfirstinadeliciousslather,LentilTapenade.Theninhalfadozensoups,includingSahadi’sLebaneseLentilSoupwithSpinach,Kerala-StyleDahl,andCrescent’sVery,VeryBestLentil,Mushroom&BarleySoup.ItthenturnsupinMarinatedLentilsDePuywithGreens,BakedBeets,Oranges&Walnuts.Plusthere’sJamaicaJerk-StyleLentil-VegetablePatties,EthiopianLentilStew,andLentil-CeleriacSkilletSauce.Dothesameforblackbeans--fromTex-MexFrijolesDiptoFeijoadaVegetarianatoMaya’sMagicBlackBeanswithEggplant&RoyalRice.Orshellbeans--NewlyMintedPureeofFreshFavas,BakedLimaswithRosySourCream,EdamameinaPod.Andonandon--fromstartersandsoupstodozensofentrees.Evendesserts:PeanutButterCupBrowniesandRedBeanIceCream.
