As for that little problem of gas, it dissipates when beans become a regular part of your diet. There's some evidence it also helps to rinse the beans thoroughly after soaking and cook them in fresh water.

Here are tips for elevating lowly dried beans to greatness:

• Cover the beans with at least 4 inches of cold water and let them soak overnight for best results.

• If you forget, use the quick-soak method: Boil the beans for two minutes, remove from the heat and let soak for an hour.

• Drain the soaked beans, cover with plenty of fresh water, bring to a strong boil, immediately reduce the heat and cook, covered, at as low a simmer as possible.

• Small beans generally require about 75 minutes, pinto and kidney beans 90 minutes and lima and larger beans two hours.

• Stir as little as possible to avoid breaking the beans.

• To further avoid breaking and splitting, remove the beans from the heat 10 minutes before they should be done and let them finish cooking gently in the residual heat of the water.

• There's debate on the subject, but I prefer to add salt during the last 10 minutes of cooking. I don't think they soften properly if salted from the beginning.

• One cup of dried beans yields about 4 cups cooked.

• Cooked beans freeze beautifully, so make a big batch and stash extras in your freezer in recipe-size portions.

TUSCAN SHRIMP WITHWHITE BEANS

2 cups cooked white beans (navy, cannellini or lima)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving

16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined but tail left on

Kosher or sea salt

1 small serrano or jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon sliced garlic

1 cup peeled, seeded and diced tomato

½ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Put the beans in a saucepan with just enough of their cooking liquid to moisten them. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and bring the beans to a simmer. Place the saucepan in the oven to keep warm.

Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp, season with salt, and cook about 1 minute, tossing often. Remove the shrimp with tongs to a bowl.

Add the chile and garlic to the pan; saute until garlic browns. Stir in the tomato, basil and lemon juice; cook about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley and shrimp. Toss well and cook briefly to reheat the shrimp.

Divide the warm beans among 4 plates. Drizzle them with the best olive oil you have, then top with the shrimp. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Source: Adapted from "Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking" (Chronicle, 2002).

Per serving: 346 calories (55 percent from fat), 21.4 g fat (2.9 g saturated, 15.1 g monounsaturated), 42.6 mg cholesterol, 13.7 g protein, 26.1 g carbohydrates, 10.2 g fiber, 44.6 mg sodium.