Don't do what I did!

Burned the Barbunya Fasulye! (Dried cranberry beans.....) I was in a hurry to meet my neighbor for a walk through Fehti Paşa Korosu (lovely park on the Bosphorus hillside). I lovingly sauted my onions, garlic, potato and carrot, then, without thinking, simply dumped the beans that I had soaked overnight, but had not pre-boiled, directly into the pot. I added my tomato and tomato paste, salt, pepper, a little sugar - and realized what I had done! Unfortunately, in order to get the beans cooked through thoroughly, I needed to cook them for an extra long time. Guess what you get - MUSH!

So, for all my friends who love this dish (especially Lisa), I promise never to do this again. Here is the correct recipe!

BARBUNYA FASULYA (serve 6-8 as a side dish)

2 lbs. of fresh cranberry beans or 1 cup of dried cranberry beans (or barbunya in your Middle East grocery store)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves (your preference), chopped finely

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 medium potato, small cubes

2 or more tomatoes, diced

1 Tblsp. tomato paste (or if you like a little spice exchange this for red pepper paste, but don't serve it like this to a Turk - they like things 'just the way they're supposed to be - please don't mess with the original.....'

2-3 long, green sweet peppers

1/2 bunch of parsley, chopped, but not too fine

1 lemon, squeezed

4 cups (approximately) boiling water

Salt

1 tsp. sugar

Cook fresh beans in boiling water 15-20 minutes until beans turn white (opaque). If using dried beans, soak overnight, then boil as stated. (DO NOT FORGET THIS STEP!). Drain, except retain 1 1/2 cup of juice.

In a separate pot, add olive oil and saute onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, green peppers until tender. Add to beans along with tomatoes, paste, lemon (to your taste), salt and sugar. Add enough hot water to cover. Cover another 20 minutes or just until beans are al dente. Don't overcook as they will continue to cook while cooking. When cold, add parsley.

Do as I say, not as I do.....I can hear my daughter saying this back to me......

Afiyet olsun