Ingredients
1 pound dried beans, such as borlotti, scarlet runner, white, black, kidney, or pinto
1 small onion, peeled and halved through root end
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 dried bay leaf
Kosher salt
Preparation
Cover beans with 2 inches water; soak overnight in the refrigerator. Drain and transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven; cover again with 2 inches water.
Add onion, garlic, bay leaf, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer; skim and discard foam. Cook, adding more hot water as needed to keep beans fully submerged, until tender and cooked through, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on type and freshness.
Season to taste toward end of cooking. Remove and discard aromatics. Let beans cool in cooking liquid, then refrigerate in cooking liquid in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
