Money-Saving Main Dishes

Dry beans and peas ...

Reading edition

There are dozens of varieties of beans and peas, and for centuries they have been important in the diets of many peoples. In this country, varieties grown and used in some sections are practically unknown in others. The South has its blackeye peas and black beans, the East and Middle West have their pea beans, soybeans, and kidney beans, and the Southwest and West like pinto beans and chickpeas.

Beans and peas contain proteins that are not well balanced by themselves and need to be supplemented with high-quality protein in the same meal. When you serve beans as the main dish, you can increase the quality and quantity of protein in the meal by adding a little meat or cheese. This is done in many famous national bean dishes. For example, ham or smoked sausage is often added to split-pea soup and grated cheese is used to garnish beans.

When you serve beans alone as the main dish, you need to cook about 1⅓ cups, or a little more than 9 ounces of dry navy beans, to provide the amount of protein recommended for 4 servings. This makes about 3 cups of cooked beans, or four ¾-cup servings. If you do not use this amount or do not add other protein food to the bean dish, remember to supplement the protein elsewhere in the meal, perhaps with an egg salad or baked custard.

Soybean protein is of higher quality than protein of most beans commonly used in this country. For high nutritive value and distinctive flavor from your food dollar, use soybeans sometimes instead of navy or lima beans in favorite bean recipes, or use some soy flour in making breads and hot breads.

Split peas provide slightly more protein than an equal weight or measure of dry beans except soybeans. Try thick hot split-pea soup for the main dish on a cold winter day.

Beans and peas are economical protein foods. You will generally find that a protein dish made up partly of beans and providing an equal quantity of protein averages less in cost than one made up entirely of meat.

To soak dry beans and whole peas, boil them 2 minutes in the soaking water first, to help prevent fermentation and hardening of skins. An hour of soaking is enough after boiling, but overnight may be more convenient. Cook beans in the soaking water for best flavor and highest nutritive value. Split peas do not need soaking.

Baked chili beans and hamburger

1 cup dry chili or kidney beans 3 cups water ½ pound ground beef 2 tablespoons drippings or other fat 1 small onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, sliced ½ green pepper, chopped fine 2 cups cooked or canned tomatoes, or 2½ cups raw tomatoes cut in pieces ½ teaspoon salt Chili powder to taste

Boil beans in water 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak 1 hour or overnight. Cook in same water until almost tender.

Brown meat in fat. Add onion, garlic, green pepper, tomatoes, and salt, and cook a few minutes.

Add meat mixture and chili powder to beans.

Place in a baking dish or bean pot, cover, and bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) about 2 hours. Uncover during the last half hour to brown the beans if desired.

Or cook the mixture slowly for about 1 hour in a covered kettle on top of the range. Stir occasionally.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with a large garden salad and fruit betty or apple dumplings.

For Variety

Cook the beans with a ham bone, omitting ground beef and chili powder. Or use 1 cup ham trimmings from a baked ham instead of beef.

Dry bean or pea soup

1 cup dry beans or whole peas 6 cups water Meaty ham bone 1 small onion, chopped Salt and pepper

Boil beans or peas in water 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak 1 hour or overnight.

Add ham bone. Boil gently 2 hours in a covered pan.

Add onion and continue cooking 30 minutes, or until beans are soft. Remove bone and cut off meat.

Add meat to soup. Season to taste, and reheat.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with tomato aspic, or fruit salad, with cottage cheese. Have custard pie for dessert.

For Variety

For Thick, Smooth Soup.—Put beans or peas through a sieve before adding meat; discard skins. Mix 2 teaspoons flour with a little water; stir into soup. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Split-Pea or Lentil Soup.—Use 1 cup of split peas or lentils instead of beans in the recipe above. No soaking is needed. Boil gently, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours. Proceed as for bean soup.

Hot Pot.—Add a garlic clove and 2 chili peppers or a teaspoon of chili powder to beans before cooking. After cooking, remove garlic and peppers.

Quick baked beans

2 slices bacon 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon molasses 1½ tablespoons catsup ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon powdered dry mustard ½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce, if desired 2 to 3 cups canned or cooked dry beans

Fry bacon, remove from pan, and cook onion for a few minutes in bacon fat.

Add molasses, catsup, salt, mustard, and worcestershire sauce.

Add beans and mix lightly. Pour into a baking dish. Crumble bacon and sprinkle over the top.

Bake 20 minutes at 350°F. (moderate oven). Or heat in a fry pan on top of range, and serve with bacon crumbled over the top.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with hot cornbread, carrot and cabbage slaw, with baked custard for dessert.

For Variety

Hot Bean Salad.—Omit molasses, add ¼ cup vinegar and ¼ cup water, and cook until the liquid is absorbed. To complete the meal serve quick-cooked green cabbage, crisp strips of celery and carrots, and pumpkin pie with cheese.

Creole Beans.—To 2 cups cooked beans add ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup each chopped green pepper and onion, and 1 cup canned tomatoes. Bake at 350° F. (moderate oven) 1 hour.

Soybean chop suey

1 green pepper, shredded 1½ cups shredded onion 1½ tablespoons cooking fat or oil ¾ cup diced celery 1½ cups cooked dry soybeans 1½ cups meat broth ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons water 1 cup quartered radishes or sliced carrots Soy sauce

Cook green pepper and onion in the fat or oil in a fry pan 3 or 4 minutes, turning them often.

Add celery, soybeans, broth, and salt. (Canned bouillon or bouillon cubes and water may be used in place of broth.)

Cover and simmer 5 to 8 minutes.

Blend cornstarch with water, stir into the mixture, and cook until thickened. Add radishes or carrots and soy sauce to taste.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with hot flaky rice, pineapple and cottage cheese salad, with ice cream for dessert.

Another Soybean Recipe

Soybean Souffle.—To 2 cups cooked dry soybeans, ground or sieved, add 2 beaten egg yolks. Season with chopped onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. Fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake at 350°F. (moderate oven) about 30 minutes or until set.

Bean chowder

1 cup dry beans 1 quart water ¾ cup chopped carrots ¾ cup cooked or canned tomatoes, or 1 cup chopped raw tomatoes 1 onion, finely chopped ⅓ cup shredded green pepper 1 tablespoon flour 1½ cups milk Salt and pepper

Boil beans in water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak 1 hour or overnight.

Cook beans in covered pan until they begin to soften. Add vegetables; cook until tender.

Mix flour with a little water and stir into vegetables. Cook 10 minutes longer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add milk and seasonings, heat to boiling, and serve.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with a peanut-and-fruit salad—sections of grapefruit and orange—and for dessert, prune whip with custard sauce.

For Variety

Baked Bean Chowder.—Use leftover baked beans. Cook ¾ cup diced carrots, ⅓ cup green pepper, and 1 onion in 1½ cups water, until tender. Add ¾ cup canned tomatoes, 2 cups baked beans, and seasonings, and reheat. Blend 1 tablespoon flour and 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the vegetables. Cook 10 minutes. Add 1½ cups of milk; reheat.

Savory bean stew

1 cup dry beans or whole peas 1 quart water ¼ cup diced salt pork ⅓ cup chopped onion ½ pound chopped beef 2 to 2½ cups cooked or canned tomatoes, or 2½ to 3 cups chopped raw tomatoes Salt and pepper

Boil beans or peas in the water 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak 1 hour or overnight.

Fry salt pork until crisp, remove from pan, and brown onion in the fat. Add meat and stir and cook slowly a few minutes.

Combine all ingredients, season, and simmer until meat is tender and flavors are blended.

Menu Suggestion

Serve with squash, a shredded raw vegetable salad, and lemon sponge pudding.

For Variety

Chili Con Carne.—Add 2 to 4 teaspoons chili powder and a little garlic to recipe. Red kidney, and the pink beans of the West, are favorites for this dish.

Hopping John.—Add ½ cup dry blackeye peas to 2¼ cups ham broth. Boil 2 minutes, soak 1 hour or overnight. Cook covered until almost tender. Add ½ cup raw rice, ½ cup chopped cooked ham. Cook gently 20 to 30 minutes. The broth should be almost gone when the rice is tender.