1 pound medium asparagus, woody ends snapped off
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse sea or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Heat a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, 3½ to 4 minutes. Add the asparagus, oil, about ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and shake to coat evenly. Place the skillet in the oven, and roast until the stalks are bright green and crisp-tender with little char spots, about 10 minutes (or longer if you prefer them softer), shaking the pan occasionally.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the macadamias and cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes, watching that they don’t burn. Stir in the lemon zest and keep warm over low heat.
When the asparagus are cooked, pour on the macadamia nuts and butter, turning to coat the stalks evenly, and serve.
“We may dine in two or three languages as Irvin Cobb says, and get thin and willowy (on chicken and croquettes and Mexican Chili), but a wise and solemn gentlemen rises to remark that the world is going to the dogs (on canapes and spaghetti), and that something ought to be done to bring back the delectable cooking of our mothers and grandmothers.”
2 pounds pea or navy beans, rinsed and picked over
1 tablespoon salt or to taste
½ pound thick sliced bacon, finely diced
2 tablespoons bacon fat or vegetable oil
1½ cups chopped yellow onions
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
⅓ cup Dijon mustard
⅓ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 (18-ounce) jar high-quality smoky barbecue sauce
Boiling water
Put the beans in a large cast iron Dutch oven with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes; turn off the heat, cover, and let them stand for 1 hour. Drain, cover again with water, add salt, and bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes more. Remove from the heat, pour the beans and their liquid into a large bowl, and let them stand in the liquid until cooled.
Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 250°F.
Sauté the bacon in the Dutch oven over medium heat until it is crisp, turning often. Remove, blot on paper towels, and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot, or add enough oil to make 2 tablespoons, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Drain the beans and combine them with the bacon, onions, chipotle chiles, mustard, brown sugar, and barbecue sauce. Add enough boiling water to just cover the beans, cover the pot, and bake for 4 hours. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of cooking time, or until the liquid is reduced and the beans are very tender. Taste to adjust the seasonings, adding salt if needed. Let them stand for 15 minutes before serving.