Bean and Legume

Prep your green beans quickly; stack a handful of them together on a cutting board and trim the stem ends off the whole stack at once.

Herbaceous and packed with fiber and protein, this grain salad is a keeper.

Pea pesto is a condiment, a sauce, a flavor enhancer. I spread it on grilled skirt steak marinated in horseradish and on lamb chops. I sauce spaghettini with pea pesto (just boil the pasta in chicken stock and toss in the pea pesto and garnish with toasted breadcrumbs) and I dress cold roast chicken with pea pesto and homemade yogurt. I broil or grill seafood skewers and serve them on a pillow of pea pesto; I sauté scallops or swordfish in the pan with pea pesto; and serve poached eggs on an English muffin spread with pea pesto. For extra zing, you can add a tablespoon of horseradish to every cup of peas.

This simple dish employs the French technique of cooking vegetables in a mixture of water and butter. The water eventually cooks out after steaming the vegetables, leaving them glazed with the butter. This is a dish that can be cooked while the turkey is resting.

Splurge on lamb rib chops or save on loin chops; either way you will enjoy this Moroccan-inspired meal. The familiar flavors of an everything bagel make a surprise appearance here to spice a zesty yogurt dip. Harissa paste (available in specialty food stores and many grocery stores) adds a fiery punch to chickpeas simmered with carrots and tomatoes. It can vary greatly in spiciness and saltiness from brand to brand, so add a little at first and taste as you go.

David Chang's buttermilk dressing is our kind of ranch. Use the freshest beans possible: You want that tender snap.

If you can't find flat runner beans, use any color snap, wax, or French beans and reduce the cooking time.

Not your ordinary side of rice. Two types means more textures to layer with crunchy nuts and tender beans.

This fresh and filling salad gets gently tossed with a creamy, garlicky tahini dressing and topped with fresh herbs and crunchy walnuts.

Toasted walnuts and tender green beans add a delicious flavor to sweet bell pepper & roasted chicken ravioli.

This frosty drink is as refreshing as frozen lemonade but has the added lushness of summer melon. Fresh thyme gives the fruit’s sweetness some grown-up dimension.

Can't find favas? Double up on peas. No pea shoots? Use mĊche or baby spinach instead.

Swap the black pepper for other spices, such as cumin, or fresh chopped herbs.

Red pepper paste gives this garlic-free hummus its color and smoky-sweet flavor; find it in Middle Eastern markets or online.

Find long beans at Asian or specialty grocers.

Barley has nice heft and chew, but don't feel limited–use cooked farro, quinoa, or brown rice if you prefer.

A silky, herby vinaigrette brings together fresh eggs and peak-season vegetables.

With soft goat cheese, fresh young peas, and delicate pea tendrils, this omelet is an homage to spring.

Butter beans are among the late-summer treasures in Charleston. For this simple, satisfying side, use the small green kind (or frozen baby lima beans in the off-season).