Braised Cranberry Beans with Quick-Pickled Tomatoes

This dish was inspired in part by recipe in “Spice,” by chef Ana Sortun, an expert in Mediterranean cuisine. Cranberry beans (also called Roman beans or borlotti beans) are cooked with butter and aromatics, then are finished with quick-pickled tomatoes that add acidity to brighten the earthiness of the beans. Plain yogurt and a fistful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley are excellent, but optional, garnishes. These beans are excellent as a side dish to roasted or grilled meats, or you can serve them as a vegetarian main, perhaps with a cucumber salad and crusty bread alongside.