Cooking Dried Beans and Lentils

Dried beans and lentils are, I think, looked upon with deep suspicion by many, who imagine that they must be soaked for days, then cooked for hours to render them safe. This is simply not true. The important thing is to buy quality beans that are not years old and are from a reputable source. The older they are, the tougher they will be and the longer they will take to soak and cook. The Eagle buys its beans from northern Spain, the source of the world’s finest dried beans, especially butter beans and tiny white haricots. Tinned beans are okay in some dishes, but they must be washed before use.