By Roberta Bailey
Every time I shell Scarlet Runner beans with their vibrant purple-pinks swirled with blackish purples, I think of Jack and the Beanstalk. These are the beans that would tempt many of us to trade the family cow. Surely, they are full of magic, at least enough to make us covet them, to make us want to possess them, to roll them between our fingers as we hold them in the depths of our pockets, and to imagine planting them next spring.
The late Sam Birch’s dry bean collection, now curated by Rosey Guest, and displayed in the MOFGA Exhibition Hall every year, holds such magical allure. People are drawn to the cups of beans, “oohing” and “aahing” over the charcoal speckled one, or the tiny rice-like one, or the round white beans mottled deep red, and “oh, look at the one that looks like an Orca.” I would love to cook a dozen or more of these varieties, then have a side-by-side taste test. How are they best used? Some beans get soft and creamy, others hold their shape, some are good as green beans, shelly beans, and in the dry stage. That shiny coat only represents a couple of genes. I want to know their texture, taste, and ascertain the best uses for each bean. Someone saved them for generations, often for very specific purposes.
Dry beans are a cultural New England staple. Baked beans fueled long work days. They are a protein that is easily grown and relatively inexpensive to buy. Every household had strong preferences for particular bean varieties, including Jacob’s Cattle, Yellow Eye, Cranberry, Soldier, Navy, Kidney, and Marfax. Recipes were shared or kept as a family secret.
When I first moved to Maine, my partner and I helped an older farming couple to harvest their field of Marfax beans. We learned to pull the plants up by the roots, to lightly shake off the dirt while being careful not to shatter the dry pods. Then we would slide the plants into pole vices, constructed with two 8-foot poles driven into the ground and lashed together at the base with twine. The plants would get stacked between the poles until a foot of space was left at the top, then the poles were pulled together and lashed at the top. The poles and beans could then be moved as a unit and would get hung in the barn rafters or leaned against a wall to further dry, until it was time to thresh them. This couple loved Marfax because it held its shape, not getting too soft — perfect for their recipe of grandpa’s beans, which they had canned in Bangor.
We all crave connections with plants, the grounding work that feeds us. I save small baskets of bean and pea varieties for friends and grandkids to shell while they visit in early winter. While hand-shelling pole beans and dry beans, children (and adults) marvel and squeal with delight over their shiny beauty. Some of my favorite beans include Hutterite (it dissolves into a creamy puree very quickly); Black Coco (for refried beans, soups, and shelly beans); Calypso (for soups and baking); Yellow Eye (for baked beans); and Amplissimo Viktoria soup peas (for absolute deliciousness, soup, salads, and hummus).
These days, dry beans have their magic back. Marketers have added the popular labels of gluten-free, low-cholesterol, heart-healthy, and eco-friendly. Growing dry beans creates less of a carbon footprint than meat production.
Here are some recipes to share that magic. What varieties will you grow next spring?
Soup Pea Hummus
Makes 3 ½ cups.
Dried soup peas are easier to grow than garbanzos in Maine. Yields are often 20 to 1. They are so sweet and nutty that I eat them cooked plain.
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 scallions, chopped
½ cup parsley or cilantro
3 cups cooked whole soup peas
¼ cup olive oil
6 Tbsp. tahini
6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or more, if desired)
¾-1 tsp. sea salt
¼-½ tsp. cumin (optional)
To cook whole soup peas: place in a pot with 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft but not mushy. Drain.
Place the garlic, scallions, and parsley or cilantro in a food processor and blend until minced. Add the whole cooked peas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, salt, and cumin. Blend until smooth. (One can mince then mash by hand for a coarser puree.) Add more salt, cumin, and/or olive oil to taste. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed container. May be frozen.
Abraham’s Lentil Salad
(Adapted from “Sabor Judío: The Jewish Mexican Cookbook.”)
Serves 4-6.
1 cup green lentils
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 ½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
¾ tsp. salt, plus more if needed
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, cubed into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in the lentils, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well and let cool. (The lentils can be cooked in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.)
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the sliced red onion and let sit for 10 minutes, to allow the onion’s flavor to mellow. Add the cooled lentils. Then add the tomatoes, avocados, and parsley and gently toss to combine. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt as desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Olive and Bean Soup
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion diced
1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup diced sweet pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups water
2 cups diced stewed tomatoes
¼ cup red wine (optional)
2 cups cooked very soft white beans (pea beans or Cannellini work well)
1 cup sliced kalamata olives
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Finely minced parsley
To cook beans: Cook 1 cup dry white beans in 2 quarts of water, simmering until very soft, approximately 1 ½ hours.
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, salt, and herbs. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the diced peppers and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the black pepper.
Add the water, the stewed tomatoes, cooked beans, olives, and lemon juice. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve topped with minced fresh parsley.
Garbanzo or Soup Peas with Herb Butter
Serves 3-4.
1 ½ cups dried garbanzos or soup peas (3 cups cooked beans/peas)
1-2 cloves garlic, plus ½ tsp. sea salt
¼ cup butter or olive oil, or a combination of both
4-6 sage leaves
Lemon wedges for serving
Cook 1 ½ cups garbanzos or soup peas in ample water until tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse.
Mince 1-2 cloves of garlic, then mash ½ teaspoon sea salt into the garlic using the flat edge of a chef’s knife.
Heat ¼ cup butter or olive oil in a skillet. Add 4-6 fresh sage leaves, let simmer for 30 seconds, then add the crushed garlic. Cook for 30 seconds.
Drizzle the herb butter over the garbanzos or peas. Serve with lemon wedges.
Variation: Add 1-2 cups of finely chopped steamed kale before drizzling the herb butter.
Maple Baked Beans
Serves 7-8.
1 lb. Yellow Eye beans (or your favorite baking bean)
1 ½ cups diced onion
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. dry mustard powder
1 tsp. black pepper
½ cup maple syrup
8 oz. salt pork or slab bacon, cut in 1-inch cubes; or substitute 4 Tbsp. butter
2 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock with 2 Tbsp. white miso added
Optional: 1-2 cups cubed raw winter squash or sweet potato
Rinse the dry beans, removing any stones and floating beans. Soak beans overnight.
Boil beans in fresh water for 30-45 minutes, until barely tender. Drain beans.
Mix the onion, salt, mustard, pepper, and maple syrup. Stir to combine.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the cubed salt pork or butter in the bottom of a bean crock or heavy baking dish. Pour the bean mixture over it. If using, add the cubed winter squash or sweet potato.
Cover with a well-fitting lid. Bake with the lid on for 3-4 hours. Bake until they are tender. Add more stock as they bake if liquid goes below the level of the beans.
Farro and Bean Salad
Serves 4-6.
Dressing:
1 cup raw cashews
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup white wine or white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. white miso paste
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
Water as needed
Salad:
2 cups cooked farro
1 ½ cups cooked dry beans (your choice of size and color)
1 large head radicchio, finely shredded
2 cups baby arugula or spinach
2 small radishes, sliced
½ cup soaked onions (see below)
To make the dressing: Blend or grind the cashews to a fine meal. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 2 minutes. Add water as needed to create a pourable consistency. Adjust seasonings.
For the salad, toss the cooked farro and beans with half the dressing. Let sit at room temperature for a few hours, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
To prepare the onions, thinly slice the onion. Add ½ tsp. salt and cover with water. Let sit for 1-2 hours. Drain and rinse before using.
Mix the radicchio, arugula, radishes, and onions in the serving bowl. Lay the farro and bean mixture on top of the greens. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad.
A columnist for The MOF&G for over 40 years, Roberta Bailey grows (way too much) food and makes just enough fiber art in Vassalboro, Maine.
This article was originally published in the winter 2025-2026 issue of The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener.