Oven-Cooked Vegetarian Beans From "Beans" by Aliza Green (Running Pres, $19.95). Here is a full-flavored, meatless method of cooking larger dried legumes, such as red kidney beans or cannellini beans. If you can buy natural wood-smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton), you'll find it adds a natural smoky flavor to the beans without meat. Or if you like spicy food, add a chipotle chile (smoke-dried ripe jalapeno). Serve these beans hot or at room temperature -- but not cold, which dulls their flavor -- as a side dish, or dress them while still warm with a vinaigrette dressing. 1 pound (2 cups) dried dark red kidney beans, or cannellini beans, soaked 1 1/2 quarts cold water 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 peeled onion, stuck with 4 whole cloves 1 head garlic, 1/2 inch sliced off the top to expose the cloves 3 bay leaves 1/2 bunch fresh thyme, tied with kitchen string 1 (3- to 4-inch) strip lemon zest 1 whole dried red chile, or 1 tablespoon pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika) 1 teaspoon ground allspice Salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Drain and rinse the soaked kidney beans. In a large pot, cover the beans with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes; then drain, discarding the water. In a large Dutch oven with a lid, combine the beans, cold water, olive oil, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, lemon zest, chile, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil on top of the stove. Cover and bake for 3 hours for large beans or about 2 hours for smaller beans. Remove from the oven, uncover, and cool briefly. Discard the onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, lemon zest, and chile. Cool without stirring, to avoid breaking up the beans. Once cooled, they may be frozen for up to 3 months. Serves 8. Per serving: 207 calories; 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat; 26 percent calories from fat); 28 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 84 mg sodium; 11 g protein; 12 g fiber.