Instructions: Fresh shell beans are well worth the extra effort My grandfather was an inspired cook. I can still picture his mammoth hands laying the table with his signature dishes: succulent bone-in loin of pork, vats of creamy mashed potatoes and bowls of buttery vegetables, whatever was in season. He was just as happy when he was tinkering in the kitchen as he was eating the fruits of his labor. Peeling potatoes, shelling beans and pitting cherries were never work to him. But my grandfather was from a different generation.

People today often cant be bothered with the drudgery of home cooking, which is probably why the old-fashioned notion of shelling beans on the front porch is nearly obsolete. Its a shame, really, because fresh shell beans are one of the true delights of summer cooking. Theres something wonderful about communing with family and friends around a bowl of fresh beans that need to be plucked from their pods.

Shell beans, affectionately called shellies in the South, are legumes with seeds that are harvested, removed from their pods and cooked fresh, rather than dried. Indeed, every type of dried bean lined up on your supermarket shelf, from black-eyed peas to soybeans, was at one time fresh and tender, tucked safely into a pod. And while Im a true fan of slow-cooked dried beans, in my book they dont measure up to their fresh counterparts.

All shell beans grow in pods of various sizes and colors, depending on the variety. Favas, also known as broad beans, come in bright green pods that look like fat arthritic fingers. Cranberry bean pods are speckled pinkish red, and black-eyed peas are nestled into long, skinny, dark pods. The pods themselves should be firm, and filled out with beans from end to end. To shell them, split the pods open lengthwise and pop out the beans. Dont be daunted by the task of shelling. My 4-year-old niece can shell a pound of cranberry beans in 10 minutes flat.

Fava beans are the first of the shell beans to arrive at the Village Pub each year, showing up in spring and continuing on into summer, growing larger and starchier as the season progresses. Favas are followed by cranberry beans, and later in the summer, cannellini beans, butter beans and tender little flageolets, among others. We relish each one.

While you may not stumble upon as many varieties of shell beans as we might get at the restaurant, favas and cranberry beans are fairly common, particularly in farmers markets and specialty stores.

The beauty of shell beans lies in their subtlety and creamy, tender texture.

They demand a simple preparation, not complex flavors. The key with shell beans is proper cooking. Most shell beans require a gentle simmer for anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on their size. At work, I cook the beans in a flavorful liquid of onions, carrots, celery and herbs until the beans are creamy without a hint of crunch or starchiness. Just before I pull them off the heat, I plunge in a few hearty sprigs of basil, which infuses the beans with a tremendous, bright flavor.

The one exception to this cooking method is fava beans, which should be simply blanched for a minute or two and then immersed in ice water. Favas also differ because they have a thin, bitter skin around each bean. While a purist might remove the skin before cooking the beans, this is quite labor-intensive. I suggest slipping the skin off after youve blanched the beans. Its easier.

All of the work in the recipe is on the front end - shelling and cooking the beans. Putting it together is a snap. Youll notice that I didnt specify amounts for several ingredients in the recipe. Thats because its really up to you and your palate to season the dish. Once you combine the corn, cherry tomatoes and beans, youll flavor the dish with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Take time to add a little of this and a little of that, tasting as you go, until the flavors come to life. Pass a nice chunk of fresh pecorino around the table to shave over the salad. Its the perfect finishing touch.

Feel free to play around with the ingredients in this recipe. Experiment with varieties of summers best tomatoes. Add fresh English peas or tender green beans. Crumble a bit of a goat cheese or feta over it instead of pecorino. Add a few slices of bacon to the pot when you cook the beans, or cut the bacon into strips and saute it with the onions before you add the corn. Finally, because the ingredients in this recipe are so simple, use only the best. Good ingredients will make this a delicious dish - one my grandfather would have been delighted to cook, and to eat.

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