Beans, Beans, The magical Fruit….

Listen, I’ve been avoiding beans for a majority of my life. To me they have no taste, and typically a less than appealing texture. But during this quarantine period, I did some reading from Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen, thanks to my sister-in-law Steph, and decided to give beans another chance - my way. Steph is an avid bean lover and gifted me my first ever box of beautiful Rancho Gordo heirloom beans, so it is high time I learned to love these legumes. Below is my first success story of flavorful brothy beans and a riff on them for a marinated cold bean condiment option. Both are delicious and I ate them all within three days. Let me know what your favorite ways to eat beans are!

Beans: Brothy & MArinated

Hangry Timer: 9 hours
Feeds: 6
Cost: $7

What you need:

Brothy:

2 TBSP Olive Oil
2-3 Carrots, chopped
2 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 Scallions, chopped
2 cups Chicken Stock
Water
1 bag Rancho Gordo Mayocoba beans, soaked over night
1 Bundle of Herbs (I used cilantro tied with twine)
2 Dried Chiles
1 TBSP Dried Oregano
Bay Leaves
Vinegar or Citrus
Salt
Pepper

Marinated:

2 cups Brothy Beans, drained
2 Scallion whites or 1 small Shallot, diced
1/2 cup White Wine Vinegar
Handful of Tender Green Herbs such as Mint, Dill, Cilantro, Scallion Greens, etc.
2 tsp. Aleppo Pepper
Olive Oil
Salt

What to do with it:

Brothy

In a dutch oven or large pot, sauté carrot, celery and onion in olive oil over medium heat until the vegetables are translucent and barely tender (about 5 minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Add the beans, broth, fresh and dry herbs, chiles, and bay leaves. Fill the pot with water until it covers the beans by two inches. Heat to a rapid boil for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover the pot. Cook until desired bean tenderness. I let mine go for about 40 minutes.* Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of your favorite vinegar or squeeze of citrus. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve with toast to enjoy!

Marinated

In a container with a lid, mix vinegar and scallion/shallots together and let sit for five minutes. Add the beans and Aleppo pepper and mix gently to combine. Top with herbs and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Fold once more to combine and finish with salt to taste. Let hang out in the fridge and add to pastas, salads, toast, or just eat it by the spoonful! Enjoy!

*Start tasting the beans at 30 minutes and let them simmer until they are your kind of tender. I like mine toothsome and creamy.

★★★