Cold season is here and one of the best ways to ward off the bug is to eat loads of heart-healthy garlic, affectionately called “the stinking rose”.  Whole books have been written about garlic in light of  it’s numerous therapeutic benefits. Garlic is an excellent source of manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and a good source of selenium.  One reason for garlic’s beneficial effects may be its ability to lesson the amount of free radicals present in the bloodstream.

   1 pound cranberry beans*
   8 cups water
   15 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and trimmed
   2 large shallots
   2-3 dried smoked chiles (like serrano or chipolte)
   2 teaspoons fine sea salt
   a drizzle of olive oil
   a small handful fo cilantro, chopped
   a couple of handfuls of a grated, hard salty cheese

  Soak the beans overnight. Before soaking, give them a good rinse.  Look carefully for any pepples or dirt clumps. Cover with a few extra inches of water. When you are ready to use the beans, drain them and rinse again.  Set aside.

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the rack near the bottom of the oven.

  Put the beans, water, garlic, shallots, and chiles in an oven-proof pot or casserole dish -preferably one with an oven-proof lid. Place the pot on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven for two hours, or until beans are nice and tender.

  After the first hour check every twenty minutes are so. When the beans are done, pull the pot out of the oven and season generously with salt. Stir and taste. The beans need some time to take in the saltier broth, so once you have the broth seasoned just right let the soup sit there on the top of the stove, covered, for another ten minutes or so.

Taste and adjust for seasoning one more time and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. To serve, first ladle a generous scoop of beans into each bowl.  Follow with the broth to cover. Sprinkle with cilantro and cheese.

Serves 4 to 6

*I like Rancho Gordo’s Barlotti beans because they are fresh crop dried beans. They can be ordered on-line. At the same time, any beans from the cranberry family will do nicely.