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NEW! Heirloom Beansfrom Rancho Gordo

25 May 2011

Steve Sando has become a serious food celebrity in the past 5 years. His efforts to support "new world cuisine" and help thrust it into the spotlight have garnered him much acclaim among food enthusiasts, cultural anthropologists and horticulturalists. We told you about the quinoa from Rancho Gordo earlier this year - he imports it directly from farmers in Bolivia. Sourcing directly allows him to pay the farmers a fair price and assure us all that his products are grown and harvested in the best way.

Now we're excited to bring his heirloom beans to you. If you've shied away from cooking dried beans, read on for some easy tips and recipes. And if you're familiar with bean cookery, but haven't tried the beans from Rancho Gordo, get ready to have your eyes opened!

For the uninitiated, it might seem odd that freshness matters when it comes to dried beans, but in fact a dried bean is alive - remember that you can plant them!

Steve Sando from Rancho Gordo only grows small amounts of his incredible heirloom beans, which means that each season, you're getting the freshest bean possible. This also means that we will run through varieties during the year. Check back often to see which of the 30 or so varieties we have on hand...with exotic names like Santa Maria Pinquito,Goat's Eye and Snowcap, we're sure you'll find something you like year-round.

NEW! Heirloom Beans from Rancho Gordo

The Mayocoba is native to Peru with a thin-skin and meaty texture. Similar in size and flavor to a Canellini bean, the Mayacoba is great in stews with chicken or pork. We love using it in Chicken Chili with lots of green chiles. They're also tasty in a puree with lots of roasted garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

The Cargamanto, a type of cranberry bean, hails from Colombia, where it would be found in salads, soups or even refried. Research suggests this could be the precursor to all forms of the cranberry bean, including the popular Borlotti. The Cargamanto is excellent in Pasta e Fagiole, with chunky vegetables and pasta.

Jacob's Cattle is one of the iconic New World beans - meaty texture, incredible flavor and gorgeous speckled skin. It hails from the far northern reaches of Maine, where it sustained the Passamaquoddy Indians. We love to serve them in a salad with a little crispy bacon, some sturdy greens like escarole and an acidic dressing. They also make a great bean soup with ham and greens.

Order Heirloom Beans from Rancho Gordo for $7.00 or all three for $19.00

Once you've cooked the beans, there is no limit to what you can do. We love serving beans,
simply stewed, with a drizzle of the best extra virgin olive oil alongside anything off of the grill...pork chops, steaks or lamb.

Another of our favorite bean dishes is a bean salad. Toss cooked Jacob's Cattle beans with some blanched green beans, wax beans and lima beans. Toss it all together with a mustardy-dressing and some fresh herbs.

And if you're still wondering how to use these beautiful legumes, we have a hearty and easy recipe.

Tuscan Beans and Greens

  • 1 package (500 grams) Rancho Gordo Mayocoba Beans
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing
  • 2 bunches red chard, washed and roughly-chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 - 2 teaspoonsFennel Pollen
  • salt, for finishing

Prepare a pot of beans from the master recipe above. You'll have more than you need for this recipe, so refrigerate or freeze the extras. When saving beans, be sure you cover them in the cooking liquid for best results.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and sauté chard until completely wilted, about 5 - 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve a portion of beans and top with an equal portion of greens. Finish the dish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fennel pollen.

Frijoles de la Olla from Saveur Magazine

When it comes to recipes based on tradition from regions across the world, there's no better source than Saveur Magazine.  It just so happens that as we were prepping and testing this item, we came across a gorgeous, delicious and simple recipe for Stewed Beans with Pico de Gallo (Frijoles de la Olla). We served it with a dollop of sour cream alongside a roasted chicken, rubbed with a paste of lime, paprika and a dash of tequila./p>