Bean and Legume

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 1 hr.

Peeled, split fava beans for this Egyptian falafel are available in most Italian or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Ta’miyya is served with tehina.

On the Cycladic islands, homemade salted pork flavors most vegetable dishes. Pancetta makes a good substitute here.

Even those who aren't fans of lima beans will love this recipe. The tough bean skins are completely broken down, so the texture of the purée is silky and smooth.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Coca-Cola was invented in the late 1800s by Atlanta pharmacist John Styth Pemberton, and it really hit its stride after the turn of the century. The company has introduced several variations over the years (Diet Coke, Cherry Coke and the short-lived New Coke), but Coca-Cola Classic has always been the big seller. And it has made its way into quite a few recipes, including a Coca-Cola cake and a Coke-glazed baked ham. Here it adds a sweet caramel note to a simple version of baked beans.

Dijon mustard and lemon peel give the dressing lots of zip. This salad can also be spooned into pita halves.

One of the pleasures of a dish like this is sopping up the wonderful sauce with crusty bread; make sure to have plenty on hand.

Roasted green chilies add spice to this do-ahead dish, which happens to be a great way to use up leftover chicken.

'50s I LOVE LUCY When Ricky and Fred switch roles with Lucy and Ethel ("Job Switching" first aired on September 15, 1952), Ricky decides he wants to make his native Cuban arroz con pollo for dinner. You know there's going to be trouble when Ricky asks Fred if a pound of rice per person sounds right — and sure enough, before long, mountains of rice are bubbling out of a pot, and chicken is exploding from a pressure cooker. Here's a tamer approach. Active time: 1 1/4 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

A handsomely arranged combination salad can be the solution for what to serve at an informal spur-of-the-moment meal. The trick is to toss all of the elements separately in vinaigrette, letting some marinate for 10 to 20 minutes if they need to take on flavor. Then when you arrange your work of art, each part of it is perfectly seasoned. Here is a hearty meatless combination.

Pasta e Fagioli Venetians prize a soup made thick by using mashed beans. This recipe is based on the preparations at Venice's Fiaschetteria Toscana and Osteria alla Bomba. A tablespoon of salt may sound like a lot, but it is needed to bring out the beans' flavor.