What To Cook With This Month
by Holly Thomson
We're in the 'hungry gap', when seasonal crops are scarce. This is a month to make your store cupboard work a little harder for you.
So expand your beans and pulses 'repertoire', with Irina Georgescu's stunning new cookbook, Danube. Her journey through Romania, Serbia and Bulgaria is a fascinating exploration of cuisines shaped by the river.
Find our pick of ingredients to inspire this month.
3 Recipes to try this month
Wide Noodles with Sauerkraut (Tăiței cu Varză Murată) Recipe
Tatar Soup With Beans And Wide Noodles (Lacșa) Recipe
9 amazing ingredients to try this month
Pasta di Aldo pasta is often heralded as the best pasta in the world. Whether you are reading Italy’s top food organization the Gambero Rosso, or Heston Blumenthal; or even enjoying it served at three Michelin Star restaurant Da Vittorio, outside Milan, you’ll hear consistent rave reviews.
The beans are cooked gently to preserve their shape and texture. Try braising them with garlic, white wine and herbs like sage or rosemary. Serve the beans with crusty bread or grilled octopus. Any leftovers can be blended into a smooth purée. Spread it on crostini or use it as a dip for crackers and crudités.
These earthy white beans have a creamy texture, making them perfect for puréeing. Spread the white bean purée on toasted sourdough and top with caramelised red onions, or serve as an alternative to mashed potato with sausages.
The white beans also make a great addition to stews - try simmering with tomatoes, garlic and stock, then adding in spinach.
In Italy, borlotti beans are added to rustic soups and stews. They are also delicious in salads with fresh herbs and white wine vinegar. In Portugal, the beans are paired with big flavours like garlic, paprika and spicy sausage.
Chickpeas are a great way to add more pulses to your diet. Trade your takeaway for homemade chana masala or a spicy falafel burger. They’re perfect for creamy hummus to serve with crackers and crunchy vegetables.
Toor Dal, also called pigeon pea, is a yellow split pea, which is mainly used to make dal and often flavoured with turmeric to make a vibrantly yellow dish. You can also use it in other recipes such as bacon and split pea soup, or in split pea and sweet potato stew.
Lupini beans are flat, yellow beans with a sweet, nutty flavour. Popular throughout the Mediterranean, they are often pickled or served as a snack with drinks.
The beans have a firm texture that’s great in salads. You can add them to soups, stews and curries. Try blending the cooked beans with roasted garlic for a speedy dip.
You can roast the beans with olive oil to make a tasty, crunchy snack. Sprinkle with sea salt and add to grazing platters and charcuterie boards.
Bola roja beans are a Colombian favourite, known for their rich, almost meaty flavour. Packed with iron, calcium, and plant-based protein, they’re a versatile staple for soups, stews, or as a hearty side.
Use them in bean salads, refried beans, or the classic Colombian way—slow-cooked with onions, garlic, and peppers. Flavour with earthy spices, and serve with rice, avocado, and fried plantain for a comforting, traditional meal.
In Indian cuisine, urid beans are often cooked with other pulses. Try using them in sambar, a classic, South Indian dal dish made from an assortment of dals, including urid beans, cooked with vegetables and flavoured with spices including turmeric, chilli and fenugreek seeds.
