New Orlean’s style white beans from fatfreevegan.com

  • 1 pound great northern beans dried
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 1 small green bell pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon Tabasco or to taste
  • hickory smoked salt optional, but good, to taste
  1. Soak the beans overnight. (Or do a quick-soak by putting them into the pressure cooker with enough water to cover them by three inches. Bring to high pressure and cook for 1 minute. Allow pressure to come down naturally before opening the cooker.)
  2. Drain the soaking liquid. Put the beans into the pressure cooker with 5 cups water and start heating, uncovered (use the Saute or Brown setting on electric cookers).
  3. Meanwhile, chop all vegetables fine, by hand or in a food processor. As you chop each one, add it to the pressure cooker. Add remaining ingredients except Tabasco and hickory smoked salt. Check water level in cooker and add another cup if there isn’t sufficient water to cover all ingredients by 1 inch.
  4. Seal the pressure cooker and set the timer for 12 minutes (electric) or bring to high pressure and cook for 12 minutes once pressure is reached. Remove from heat (or turn off electric cooker) and allow pressure to come down naturally.
  5. If pressure is not down in 20 minutes, quick-release the pressure. Check beans for doneness. They should be tender, and most should be starting to fall apart. If your beans are still tough, return them to high pressure for a few minutes. If beans are tender, add Tabasco and smoked salt and cook uncovered until liquid reduces and the cooking water starts to become more like a sauce.(Use the Saute or Brown function in electric cookers, on low, if possible.) Stir often to make sure they are not burning on the bottom and to incorporate any dried beans on the sides of the pot. After about 20 minutes, if the liquid still seems watery rather than creamy, you can take an immersion blender and blend part of the beans (be sure to remove bay leaves first).
  6. Add additional salt to taste. Serve over hot rice with hot sauce on the table.

Spaghetti Salad from Martha

    • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 1/2 pound thin spaghetti
    • 1/2 small red onion, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise (about 1/3 cup)
    • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
      • 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
      • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
      • 1/4 cup kalamata olives (about 10), pitted and halved
      • 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
      • 1/4 cup packed parsley leaves
      • 3 ounces crumbled feta (about3/4 cup)1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 cup)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, 9 to 10 minutes. Drain, and let cool slightly.

  • While pasta is cooking, stir together onion, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, and oil. Season vinaigrette with 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and sugar.

  • In a large bowl, combine pasta, bell pepper, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, capers, and vinaigrette. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.

  • Toss pasta with parsley and feta. Re-season, if desired, before serving.