Pulsing Great Beans

Adzuki, borlotti, coco, cannellini, flageolet, black-eyed, mung, pinto, butter and kidney — the list is long and as rich in opportunity as it is in choice. Beans of every sort and variety, long scorned as the poorest sort of food, are now seen in a much more flattering light. They can be dressed up with sauces or enjoyed in their utmost simplicity, with nothing more than good olive oil, salt and pepper. They are one of the cook’s greatest resources and, being in the main dried, are always to hand in the store cupboard. They are mostly inexpensive and endlessly forgiving. Overcook them and all you need do is purée them for a delicious alternative to potatoes or polenta; or spike with garlic and chilli and spread on bruschetta. Beans can enter a meal quietly as a first course or play a starring role as its main feature.