tender in 25 minutes, the unsoaked beans took 65 minutes. The flavor and texture of the two

batches were exactly the same. In subsequent experiments I've found that almost all beans cook

to the soft stage in little more than an hour without presoaking. (Depending on the hardness of

your water, your elevation and the type of beans, cooking time may be longer.)

If there is time, presoaking makes sense for faster cooking. Soak the beans for a

minimum of 4 hours. Longer soaking doesn't hurt the beans, but it does not shorten cooking time

any more. But if you don't have the time, try to avoid opening a can. Go ahead and cook the

washed beans—they will be ready in about the same time or a little longer as baking large

potatoes in the oven.

Peas and lentils cook so fast that you never need to soak them. They are soft in 20

minutes.

Cooking beans

According to experts, the older the beans, the drier they are, and the longer it takes to

fully rehydrate and soften them. The experts also claim that they lose their flavor after a year in

storage. My kitchen tests found these to be unfounded myths. I cooked two batches of black

turtle beans side by side. One batch was 3 years, the other was 3 months old (counting from

harvest time). Both batches cooked to softness at the same time, and there was no noticeable

difference in their flavor. I also cooked beans that were in storage for at least 10 years. They had

excellent flavor.

Cooking time increases with higher altitude and harder cooking water. The recommended

cooking time on packages is far too long, no matter what the circumstances. I tested the cooking

time for kidney beans with package directions given as 1 to 1½ hours after overnight soaking for

a tender stage. The beans (cooked at sea level in soft water) were fully tender in 25 minutes. Start

testing a cooking pot of beans 30 minutes before the recommended time is up, then drain them as

soon as their texture is to your liking. Those destined for mashing as refried beans need to be

cooked a little softer. Beans for soup, salad, chili and baked dishes can be more chewy.

San Joaquin bean and corn salad

The bean salad in this recipe is a far cry from that simple three-bean salads of traditional

summer picnics, far prettier to look at, a great deal more nutritious with a delectable flavor and

lot more work. It was inspired in California’s San Joaquin Valley, origin of many of today’s

legumes.

This yields 4 solid pounds (nearly 2 kg) of salad, serving 8 to 12, depending on what else

is on the table. Since it holds very well in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days, consider preparing the

full quantity and serving it several times. Preparing the full recipe takes very little extra time

over making, say, a quarter of it.

For a really attractive appearance, I suggest using two different kinds of beans if you

have a little extra time for the extra cooking effort. Since this is a salad, you may substitute some

ingredients, but do not substitute the key flavor ingredient, fresh cilantro.

Ingredients

1½ cups dry black beans

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