BEANS

This Moroccan lentil soup is made with red lentils, tomatoes, onions, ras el hanout, cumin, coriander, chiles. On top? Chile-fried onions.

Pasta e Fagioli by Martha Rose Shulman

This is a fine salad to serve as part of a meal along with other salads, so people can graze around, taking a bit of what they want, when they want. As mentioned, it’s pretty important to use good quality dried chickpeas; I’ve noted some sources below. Although we don’t get them in Paris, fresh green chickpeas are showing up at markets in the United States, and are available in other parts of the world, and it might be interesting to try this salad with them. To cook dried chickpeas, rinse…

If you like bold, assertive flavors—like broccoli rabe and lemon—this rustic white bean side dish is the recipe for you.

Forget presoaking them overnight--our method is much faster (and fun, because you get to call it the "power soak")

This pinto beans recipe can be made vegetarian by omitting the bacon. A final flourish of sharp Cotija cheese, cilantro, and pickled onions adds color and texture.

This yellow pea and coconut milk soup starts out thin, but when the spinach and rice are added, it ends up with layers of textures and colors.

The inspiration for this minestrone was a bag of Rancho Gordo Royal Corona beans that I have had in my pantry for a while. Royal Coronas are large white European runner beans that are similar to Greek gigandes but bigger, richer and sturdier. (Photo: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times)

Refried black or pinto bean, zucchini and corn gratin recipe (Photo: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times)

Baked Beans with Bacon Breadcrumbs Recipe

For the New Year’s good fortune, a plate of black-eyed peas or other beans is considered auspicious, auguring wealth and prosperity. Adding cooked greens (the color of money) is said to make them even luckier. (Photo: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times)

Baked beans with sweet potatoes and chipotles recipe (Photo: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times)

A Big Pot of Simmered Pintos by Martha Rose Shulman

Adapted from Plenty (Ebury) by Yotam Ottolenghi Yotam’s original recipe says to soak the beans in a generous amount of water with 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Some bean purists scoff at using baking soda in the water, but for those who live in areas where the water is full of minerals (such as Paris), I add a large pinch to the cooking water, as the locals do. The beans should be cooked just until tender, but not cooked to mush. The cooking time for them will vary but don’t let the water…

Anson Mills Polenta or Grits With Beans and Chard by Martha Rose Shulman

This is a colorful variation of the black-eyed peas salad Martha Rose Shulman always serves at her New Year’s Day open house. (Photo: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times)