Foolproof Winter Dishes

If ever there was a California winter that calls for warm, satisfying food, this flu-plagued winter is it. Substantial dishes--maybe winter white beans and Polish sausage, thick slices of toasted rye or good crusty Italian bread and Lindsey Shere’s beaked caramel pears--these are what drive the dark spirits away.

Both the beans and the baked pears are ideally suited for beginning home cooks. In fact, the only way you can ruin these dishes is to answer the telephone and forget the cooking. The telephone is the biggest enemy the home cook has. It’s easy to learn to cook, but it’s hard to focus and pay attention to the food preparations.

But try these recipes. You can’t imagine how good your own food will be if you will just invest a little time to learn a few basics.

WINTER WHITE BEANS AND SAUSAGE

Soaking beans makes them tender and reduces the cooking time. You can start the beans soaking before you go to bed at night or before you leave for work in the morning. Beans should soak at least six hours, and it doesn’t matter if they soak longer.

1 pound dried great northern beans

Salt

2 onions, peeled and chopped into cornflake-size pieces

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 pound Polish kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Put beans in 4- to 5-quart pot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Let soak at least 6 hours.

Drain beans and return to pot. Cover with 8 cups cold water, stir in 1 tablespoon salt and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and boil gently 1 hour.

After 1 hour test beans for doneness by spearing a couple with fork and tasting; if tender, they are done. If not, cook 30 minutes more.

Taste broth and add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to taste. Add onions, pepper and sausage and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle parsley over each serving and serve with toasted bread.

12 cups. Each 1-cup serving:

222 calories; 361 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 2.66 grams fiber.

LINDSEY SHERE’S BAKED CARAMEL PEARS

3 large pears (preferably Comice), peeled, cored and halved

3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Put pears rounded side down in oven-proof skillet. Distribute butter pieces over each pear half and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees 15 minutes. Open oven door, tilt pan and baste each pear with liquid in pan. Bake 10 minutes more. Test pears for doneness by piercing thickest part with small paring knife. If tender, pear is done. Remove from oven and remove pear to plate.

Cook liquid in pan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is thick and bubbly and light caramel color. Pour in whipping cream and bring to boil. Cook just until sauce is smooth and rich brown color.

Put 1 pear half on each dessert plate and spoon sauce over. Serve warm.

6 servings. Each serving:

193 calories; 66 mg sodium; 43 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1.16 grams fiber.

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Casserole dish from Bristol Kitchens, South Pasadena.