White Bean

"My husband and I just returned from a trip to Italy," writes Kim Riemann of North Brunswick, New Jersey. "Of all the great meals we had there, a few stand out in my memory. One was at Buca Mario in Florence. The rosemary-scented bean soup was unforgettable." Serve this with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

This dip was inspired by a recipe for bissara, a garlicky purée from Egypt made from dried broad beans, in Claudia Roden's Mediterranean Cookery.

An accompaniment to Sauteéd Scallops with Hazelnut Vinaigrette . Also great with roast lamb or chicken.

Easy to make and satisfying.

A version of the Tuscan specialty, fagioli all'ucccelletto.

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.

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.