Jeni Wright, Eric Treuille, Le Cordon Bleu

Soaking and Cooking

Appears in
top 1000Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques
Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques

By Jeni Wright, Eric Treuille and Le Cordon Bleu

Published 1996

  • About
Dried beans and peas need to be soaked to soften them before cooking; lentils do not. The quick-soak method is an alternative to the one shown here: boil in plenty of water 2 minutes, cover and let soak 2 hours. Always season pulses after cooking or the skins will be tough.
  1. Put the beans in a large bowl. Add cold water to cover. Soak for 8-12 hours.

  2. Drain the beans into a colander; rinse thoroughly under cold running water.

  3. Boil beans in unsalted water, 10 minutes. Simmer for time in chart.