STRATEGY SESSION: You have to try hard to make beans unhealthy. My only strategic intervention here involves moderating the glycemic load. Like all legumes, cannellini beans have a low glycemic index, but they are very carbohydrate-dense. Since GL is a function of GI and carbohydrate density (CD), I can moderate the GL by adding components that are lower in CD  than the beans. Both the fennel and red onion meet that requirement.

I hate canned beans. Don’t get me wrong: I’m all for speed and convenience, but some things just can’t be rushed. Compared to their poor canned relations, home-cooked beans have much more flavor, better texture, and a lower glycemic index.  Forget the faded, mushy commercial glop! The beans you cook yourself are individual little creatures, with distinct characters, shapes, and colors. While the starchy, viscous medium that surrounds canned beans is best rinsed off, the delicate cooking liquid in your own bean pot is eminently useable–as a soup base or a moistening agent for a bean stew. As far as convenience goes, I cook them at mine– when life permits.

Ay, there’s the rub. I know you think you don’t have time to cook your own beans. Nonsense! Beans demand time but no labor, so they’re prime candidates for multi-tasking. I make them on Sunday afternoons while I do laundry, return e-mails, and pay bills. All you need is a block of time when you’re going to be around.

To soak or not to soak: Some people “slow soak” beans overnight to decrease cooking time. Others use the “quick-soak” method to accelerate both soaking and cooking. I do neither: I’m a card-carrying non-soaker. In my experience, soaking causes a loss of flavor and a degree of fermentation that makes beans harder to digest. This is a minority view, however. Although she acknowledges several experts on my side of the issue, Aliza Green (author of The Bean Bible), is a committed soaker. She believes it makes beans easier to digest. Conclusion? You’ll have to experiment and see what works best for you. Soaked or not, beans take time and they’ll punish you if you don’t give them their due.

For additional information on cooking beans, see this week’s Odds & Ends column.

Serving Suggestions: The bold Mediterranean flavors in this stew go particulaly well with lamb, so I like to serve it with broiled lamb chops or (if I’m feeling energetic) a roast leg.

Special Note: I’m delighted to announce that these festive little beans were ranked #3 on the Foodbuzz Top 9 on January 20th, 2010.

Cannellini Beans with Fennel, Red Onion, and Saffron

• ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped fennel, fronds reserved
• ½ cup chopped red onion
• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans, with the liquid that clings to them
• Bean cooking liquid or vegetable broth, as needed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Minced flat-leaf parsley or chopped fennel fronds for garnish, optional

1. Combine the saffron with the boiling water in a small heat-proof bowl or measuring cup and set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the fennel and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the beans and saffron mixture to the skillet and stir to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems dry, add bean cooking liquid or vegetable broth to achieve the desired consistency. Sprinkle with the parsley or fennel fronds (if using) and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings

Per serving: Calories 196, 2 g total fat, trace saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 33 g total carbohydrate, 9 g dietary fiber, 12 g protein, 24 mg sodium.