I’d tell you to stick a Post-It right here because, once you try these, you’ll be making them often -- but they’re simple enough that after one time through, you’ll probably remember how to make them forever. These green beans are cooked to falling-apart-ness in what’s essentially a garlic-tomato confit. Every bite is imbued with flavor -- garlicky, a little hot, meltingly tender; the kind of good that, with your first bite, you close your eyes and grow silent.
This healthy salad belongs in every summer refrigerator. It’s just right for a light lunch or as a side with summer’s grilled fare. In hot weather, don’t hesitate to open cans of organic beans rather than heating up your kitchen.
Barley is a tragically overlooked grain. Available in nearly every grocery store across the country it is the essence of simplicity -- toothy, rustic nutty and delicious. In this version, you boil the barley as you would pasta, in a generous amount of salted boiling water. While we prefer it with a little bit of firmness, you can keep cooking it until it reaches the texture you prefer.
We often overlook the bell pepper, which bestows an uncanny, slightly smoky sweetness to a dish.
Time is on the side of this soup; it mellows with a day or two in the refrigerator, and freezes well.
Seasoning is totally your call and it can have as much attitude as you’d like, as in these warm-tasting spices of the West Indies and a garlic-tomato sauté.
You can vary the amount of water in this recipe in accordance with whether you want a proper soup or a more stewlike consistency.
The soup is good fresh from the pot, but even better for a day or 3 or 4 in the fridge. Refrigerates up to 6 days and freezes for 4 months.
Barley is a great substitute for risotto, especially when you don't have a lot of time to spend stirring the pot.
When measuring flour, don't densely pack measuring cups. Instead, spoon flour from a master batch into a measuring cup, and use a straight edge to level.