White Bean

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

Gazpacho de Habas This gazpacho has a haunting flavor — barely identifiable as lima beans — and is also excellent when you substitute pine nuts for the limas, as the chef at El Churrasco, in Córdoba, often does. The addition of an egg — not at all unusual in white gazpachos — gives this soup a creamier, richer taste. It is best served in small portions.

Team this hearty side dish with a pork or chicken entrée, or just add some crusty bread and make a meal out of it.

When a generous garnish of pesto gets stirred in, the soup turns a vibrant green and becomes perfumed with the intense and sweet aroma of basil mixed with garlic.

Butternut squash and a variety of beans give this vegetarian dish its hearty texture.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 30 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"On my last birthday, I enjoyed a special dinner at Brasserie Le Coze in Atlanta," says Diane Sullivan of Alpharetta, Georgia. "The entire meal was fabulous, but the white bean soup with truffle oil was absolutely divine." White truffle oil, should you happen to have a bottle of it, is a delicious "garnish" for this rich and hearty soup.

This unusual Iranian stew is served hot at the table from the casserole in which it has been cooked. The lid is lifted, and the delicious aromas of rich tender lamb, fresh herbs, spinach and beans fill the room. Serve with rice or orzo.

In just minutes, you've got a sophisticated accompaniment to steak, lamb, grilled fish or roast chicken.

A terrific appetizer for parties.

Brandade, a specialty of Languedoc and Provence, inspired the following recipe. Also called brandade de morue ("ragout of cod"), it is classically a purée of salt cod, olive oil, and milk, often thickened with bread or potato. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In this recipe we used fresh baby lima beans (the frozen ones are excellent, too), but you can substitute any other fresh young shell beans such as fava or cranberry beans.

The creamy soup would be great with large sesame-coated breadsticks and a spinach salad with marinated mushrooms. Baked apples and oatmeal-raisin cookies are nice after. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This pretty soup could be a soothing lunch or a light dinner — and it's healthful, too. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.