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OxfordPress.com

Bean Recipes

By Elizabeth Lee and Jeanne Besser

Cox News Service

This tasty version of the New Orleans classic uses lower-fat turkey sausage without compromising flavor. A day in the refrigerator only improves the taste, which makes it ideal for preparing on the weekend and eating later in the week or freezing.

Red Beans And Rice With Turkey Kielbasa

Makes 8 servings

1 pound dry red kidney beans

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 rib celery, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 sprigs fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 pound smoked turkey kielbasa, cut into 1-inch chunks

Salt to taste

4 cups cooked brown rice

Rinse beans. In a large soup pot, combine beans and 8 cups cold water. Put the beans aside and let sit overnight. Or, for a shorter soaking time, bring beans and water to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Let stand 1 hour.

Drain and rinse beans. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a soup pot over high heat. Add the onions, celery, bell pepper, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, black pepper and garlic and stir to combine. When the vegetables soften (about 5 minutes), stir in the drained beans, chicken stock, tomato paste and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook, covered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure there are no beans sticking to the bottom.

Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa. Cook and stir until skin is slightly browned. Add the kielbasa to the beans. Simmer for 15 minutes more.

Check the beans to see if they are fully cooked (they should be firm, with no hard core). Taste and adjust seasonings (salt shouldn't be added to beans until they're fully cooked; otherwise they won't soften). Discard thyme and oregano sprigs and bay leaves.

Serve over rice. If desired, sprinkle with additional hot-pepper sauce.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 452 calories, 63 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 56 mg cholesterol, 739 mg sodium.

• Adapted from Chef Bobo's Good Food Cookbook by Robert W. Surles (Meredith Books, $24.95)

Cuban cookery often includes a flavorful sofrito — aromatic, slowly cooked vegetables. This soup is made with smoked turkey leg(s) instead of the traditional higher-fat smoked ham hock.

Cuban Black Bean Soup With Sofrito And Smoked Turkey

Makes 6 servings

1 pound (2 cups) dried black beans

1 peeled medium onion, stuck with 8 whole cloves

3 bay leaves

1 pound smoked turkey leg(s)

8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

8 cups cold water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon paprika

1 large onion, diced

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons malt or sherry vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cover the beans with several inches of water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. In a large stockpot, add the beans and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the beans. Return beans to the pot. Add the clove-studded onion, bay leaves and turkey. Cover with chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, skim off any surface foam and reduce heat to a light simmer. Cook for 2 hours or until the beans are soft. Remove onion and bay leaves and discard. Remove turkey; when cool enough to handle, dice meat and reserve. With an immersion blender or in food processor or blender, puree three-fourths of the beans along with some of their liquid, leaving the remaining beans whole. Add oil and paprika to a skillet and, over medium heat, saute the onion, garlic, turkey and cumin until vegetables soften. Add the tomatoes and sherry vinegar. Add the mixture to the beans. Return the soup to a boil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 456 calories, 58 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 23 mg cholesterol, 729 mg sodium.

• Adapted from Beans by Aliza Green (Running Press, $19.95)

This slow-cooker dish — a simple combination of white beans, pancetta and herbs — can be a light meal or accompany poultry or meat. If you don't have a slow cooker, you can cook it on a stovetop at a low simmer.

Tuscan-Style Beans With Rosemary

Makes 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped

1 large red onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves

1/4 cup whole parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked or coarsely ground black pepper

1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes

2 (19-ounce) cans white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil. Add pancetta; cook until it just begins to brown. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add onion to skillet, reduce heat to medium and saute until softened. Add garlic, rosemary, parsley, salt and pepper. Saute for 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil, breaking up tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring until liquid thickens. Meanwhile, add beans to slow cooker. Pour tomato mixture over beans; stir well. Add just enough water to cover. Put cover on slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 236 calories, 4 g fat, 38 g carbohydrates, no cholesterol, 1,223 mg sodium.

• Adapted from The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Judith Finlayson (Robert Rose, $22.95)

Executive chef Jason Hill of Wisteria restaurant in Atlanta serves this Southern-style hummus with sweet potato chips for dipping.

Black-Eyed Pea Hummus

Makes 10 servings

2 cloves garlic

4 cups cooked black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup tahini

In a food processor with the motor running, add the garlic. When chopped, add the black-eyed peas, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and process until smooth. With the processor running, add tahini and process until all ingredients come together. Taste and adjust seasonings. If too thick, add additional lemon juice or oil.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 202 calories, 12 g fat, 18 g carbohydrates, no cholesterol, 230 mg sodium.