Lent is coming soon and this is the time to start collecting some bean recipes. I came up with this recipe because I thought the family was a little tired of New England style baked beans, and I was out of navy beans, so I picked up a package of red beans at the market. Red beans have a mild taste, not too beany.

Ingredients: 1 lb. of red beans, about 1 cup of tomato paste, 1 vegetable bouillion cube, one carrot, diced, one medium onion, diced fine, one stalk of celery, diced. (For use outside Lent, about 1 tablespoon olive oil.) Oil for sauteing, if wanted. One and a half cups hot water.

Soak the red beans overnight, drain in the morning, rinse, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook abut ten minutes. Drain and rinse again. Meanwhile, saute the diced vegetables in a little oil or in water if entirely Lenten, until softened a bit. 

Put the beans and vegetables in a crockpot or a 2-3 quart covered pot. Dissolve the vegetable cube in the hot water, add the tomato paste, and pour over the bean mixture. Cook on high in the crockpot for about 4 hours, then turn down to low until time to serve. If using a stovetop pot, simmer about three hours. Keep the liquid just at the top level of the beans, adding hot water.

If you want a non-vegetarian version, crisp fry a couple of slices of bacon and lay on top of the beans. Or add a few slices of cooked Italian sausage.

I served this with pasta mixed with Parmesan cheese (use minced herbs in Lent) and steamed rapini.