Aliza Green

Serving Size: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sugar snap peas, stringed
• 1 tablespoon Asian roasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

Heat sesame oil and butter together. Lightly brown sesame seeds Toss with sugar snaps and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, or until brightly colored. Sprinkle in soy sauce. Shake together and serve immediately.

(from BEANS: More than 200 Wholesome, Delicious Recipes from Around the World)

Serving Size: 6 to 8

Cooked Lentils

Ingredients:

• 1 (12-ounce) package (1 1/2 cups) French green lentils
• 3 bay leaves
• ¼ bunch fresh thyme, wrapped around and tied with kitchen string (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1/2 a peeled onion stuck with 4 whole cloves
• 1 head garlic, top 1/2 inch cut off and discarded
• Salt to taste

Directions:

Combine the lentils, bay leaves, thyme, onion, and garlic in a medium pot. Add 1 quart cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off any white foam and discard. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the lentils are soft but still whole and not mushy.

Remove from the heat, cool slightly and discard the bay leaves, thyme, onion, and garlic. Drain off and discard any excess liquid. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead of time, or frozen.)

Finishing Lentils

Ingredients:

• 6 cups cooked green lentils
• 2 bunches scallions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons softened butter mixed with 6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (such as tarragon, basil, marjoram, chives, chervil, parsley)

Directions:

Sauté scallions briefly in butter, add diced tomatoes and cooked green lentils and simmer together several minutes until hot and somewhat thickened. At the last minute, toss with the herb butter.

DATE: October 31, 2008
TIME: 3:30-6:30 pm
LOCATION: Tierra Farms, 651 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403
PHONE: 707-837-8366

Are you a bean lover? If so, be sure to attend and/or participate in the Battle of the Beans to be held at Tierra Vegetables Farm Stand. The event features a Bean Cookery Contest with celebrity judges Aliza Green, award winning chef and author of Beans: More than 200 Delicious, Wholesome Recipes from Around the World, Steve Sando, owner, Rancho Gordo New World Specialty Foods and author of Heirloom Beans, and Mateo Granados, chef owner, Flavors of the Yucatan Catering. The event is co-sponsored by Ruthy’s Real Meals Home Delivery. Aliza will be personally autographing copies of her authoritative bean cookbook at the event. For more information, call Tierra (707-837-8366) or Ruthy’s (707-888-0128).

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(Running Press)
by Aliza Green

Now you can master the art and joy of bean cookery with this definitive guide to identifying, selecting, prepping, and cooking a wide range of fresh and dried beans. Aliza Grean has created a virtual renaissance in bean cuisine, where cooks can discover the variety of dishes that can be made with the different flavors, textures and color that beans have to offer. This completely revised, updated edition of Beans, which features full-color photographs and new recipes, is a great source not only for extraordinary recipes but also for cooking tips, culinary history and legume lore. Scrupulously researched, Beans contains descriptions and useful information about more than 100 bean varieties. A comprehensive primer on the basics of preparing and cooking beans explains all you need to know to ensure your bean dishes will come out just right every time.

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