Rancho Gordo: Beans and More

[heidih]

42 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

Just got my shipping confirmation. Not that I'm lacking for beans, but I was a little worried because my credit card was compromised recently so my card was cancelled and I just got the replacement yesterday.  I immediately updated my billing info but the charge for this shipment had already gone through and I was afraid it would be rejected.  Seems like it went through OK.  Phew!

 

Good! Sucks on the compromise. I think most vendors email you if there is a card issue esp for a regular.

[blue_dolphin]

22 minutes ago, heidih said:

Good! Sucks on the compromise. I think most vendors email you if there is a card issue esp for a regular.

 

Yeah. That's what I was expecting but looks like Chase let it through with the old number.  At least I can stop carrying around a big wad of cash everywhere!  I used the self check-out at the grocery store and  must have looked like such a goof because I couldn't figure out where to put in the cash! 

[blue_dolphin]

RG beans popped up in another topic today and in case anyone is thinking of ordering, you may notice that a lot of items are out of stock right now. 

Steve said some of the beans have been late coming in this year but they are planning releases of new and out-of-stock items on Nov 14 and Nov 28 so those might be good days to check. 

Also, on any out-of-stock item, you can enter your email and get an update when it's available,  I've done that and it works.

I'm hoping the pineapple vinegar will be back!

[TdeV]

I bought some pineapple vinegar some time back. How do you use if, @blue_dolphin ?

[blue_dolphin]

5 minutes ago, TdeV said:

I bought some pineapple vinegar some time back. How do you use if, @blue_dolphin ?

 

I sub it in for other vinegars where something fruity would be nice. In vinaigrettes, marinades, salsas, etc. Very nice with fish or seafood in a ceviche or aguachile.

I was specifically looking for it the other day because RG mentioned a chile manzano relish and I wanted to try it.  It looked similar to the chile manzano salsa that's a component of this recipe on the website.  

I also like to use it like a shrub and topped off with sparkling water.  You can add a bit of honey or just the vinegar for something more tart. 

[FrogPrincesse]

23 hours ago, TdeV said:

I bought some pineapple vinegar some time back. How do you use if, @blue_dolphin ?

It's also delicious in adobo! (I got the idea from So Good by Richard Blais)

[heidih]

On 11/12/2023 at 8:49 AM, TdeV said:

I bought some pineapple vinegar some time back. How do you use if, @blue_dolphin ?

Same as Blue. Always reminds me of Diana Kennedy.

[Vapre]

On 11/12/2023 at 11:19 AM, blue_dolphin said:

>pineapple vinegar

 

Anybody have any luck making it from scratch? The couple times I did w/Pineapple scraps I wound up w/a ton of kahm yeast floating on top. No bueno.

[blue_dolphin]

On 11/12/2023 at 8:19 AM, blue_dolphin said:

I'm hoping the pineapple vinegar will be back!

Yay!  Got an email notification that the pineapple vinegar is back in stock and an order has been placed. Crimson popping corn, Massa Organics brown rice and a couple of those adorable little cazuelas got me into free shipping territory. 
Oh, and maybe some Royal Coronas. You can never have too many Royal Coronas!

[TdeV]

I've just posted a query about Rancho Gordo beans in the Instant Pot here, if you can help.

[Smithy]

I chose expedience in Getting A Package Out Of The Pantry yesterday, and used the Instant Pot to cook an entire package of RG Royal Corona beans. They were at least a couple of years old, and probably deserved something more careful than I did. Seasoning, for instance! But no. I put those beans into my 6-quart pot, added enough water to cover them plus about 2", pressure cooked for 25 minutes, allowed natural release. Decided when I opened them that they weren't done enough, so I just relocked the IP and used the same cycle. This time they were cooked, maybe a little overcooked. But they're soft, and who cares if some split?

 

Now I have all those beans to eat. These beans are huge, and each bite carries a lot of bean flavor. Unfortunately, it's bland.

 

This morning, for breakfast, I plopped some onto toast, mashed them, nuked them, and sprinkled the warm assembly with feta cheese crumbs.

 

 

First lesson: that spread was dry. Second lesson: nuking a heel of toasted whole wheat bread guarantees tough bread. It wasn't even edible using a knife and fork!

 

I ate the spread, ditched the bread, then started again. Nuked some beans, sprinkled with feta afterward, then dressed the whole assembly with part of a sardine and its oil.

 

 

Better, but still not wonderful. I need to make plans for the rest of these beans. 

 

I've reviewed enough of this topic to re-find the bean confit recipe here. I'll try that with some of them. What else can I do with them? Who has some good uses for giant white beans that were cooked to softness with no seasoning?

 

[Maison Rustique]

@Smithy, maybe make a hummus with some of them? Refried beans with some Mexican seasonings? Make a summery soup and add some to it? Mash and mix with some tuna and lots of herbs/mayo and stuff a tomato?

[blue_dolphin]

@Smithy, I can't speak from direct experience as I always season the beans while cooking but I agree with @Maison Rustique's suggestion of a bean dip or spread of some sort.  It's always my go-to for an overcooked bean.  This recipe from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day for a white bean spread with rosemary and toasted almonds is one of my favorites.  The garlic and rosemary are gently warmed in olive oil and then strained out so their flavors are mellow rather than harsh. 

 

One of the best things I made recently with Royal Coronas was a recipe for mustard-marinated beans with shaved asparagus and parsley from Abra Berens' Grist. See photo in this post. Any combo of a crunchy + a leafy green would work. My beans were slightly overcooked but mixing them gently with the vinaigrette helped them stay separate and seasoned them nicely as well. Do warm them up so they'll absorb the seasonings well.  Her vinaigrette (1 shallot, minced, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup whole grain or Dijon mustard, 1/2 t salt) packs a nice mustardy punch, but I'm sure you could use your favorite dressing. 

Edited to add that I used half whole grain and half Dijon in the dressing. 

 

 

Edited July 8 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Tropicalsenior]

This is probably one of my favorite ways to use white beans. The recipe below is just a template. I change it according to what I have on hand. I have made it with chicken, Italian sausage, and a smoked, kielbasa Style sausage and bacon for the protein.

 

Tuscan White Beans and Sausage

1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage

1 tablespoons oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 to 3 plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup tomato purée

1 teaspoon sage 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

 

I start with the protein, brown it in the skillet and remove to a bowl. I then put some butter in the skillet and add the diced tomato and since I can't add onion or garlic I put in mushrooms and celery. When the tomato has started to soften I add a splash of white wine. When that is reduced, I add chicken broth and the other tomato element. Sometimes it is canned diced tomatoes, sometimes tomato paste, sometimes tomato sauce depending on what I have. I add the sage, or sometimes I use Herbs de Provence instead. I let that simmer on low for about 20 minutes. I add the beans and let them simmer about 10 minutes and at the last I add the protein back in to reheat.

I always cut the recipe in half except for the protein. You need about a quarter of an ounce of that. That means that you would just need half a can of tomatoes and about 3/4 of a cup of beans. It's a fun recipe to play around with because you can make it with whatever you have in the pantry.

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, Smithy said:

Who has some good uses for giant white beans that were cooked to softness with no seasoning?

 

I have a few, but I've heard this is a family friendly website.

[FauxPas]

2 hours ago, Smithy said:

Who has some good uses for giant white beans that were cooked to softness with no seasoning?

 

I like Smitten Kitchen's Tomato and Gigante Bean Bake aka Pizza Beans.  🙂 She used RG Royal Corona beans also. 

 

https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/09/pizza-beans-cookbook-preview/

Edited July 8 by FauxPas (log)

[blue_dolphin]

@Smithy, thinking of unseasoned beans reminded me of several baking recipes in Joe Yonan's book, Cool Beans.  Do you have that one? 

There's a Coconut cream bean pie, Five-spice pumpkin-oat muffins, Plantain, black sesame, and white bean quick bread, Cardamom, lime, and white bean bundt cake and Mint chocolate chip and white bean-oat cookies.

They sound very curious but if you're in the mood to play around, they could be fun!

[FrogPrincesse]

Zuni has a few crostini recipes with pureed beans, including one with sardine that's a bit similar to what you tried, with added chimichurri for some herbal brightness. 

In the similar vein of tartines / crostini / bruschetta etc, Melissa Clark has a smashed white bean toast with roasted asparagus and sumac (the bean puree also includes microplaned garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and chives).

Sohla El-Waylly has a recipe for cannellini beany melt that is essentially a riff on a tuna melt: mashed beans with scallions, celery, a chopped pickle, mustard, olive oil with Tabasco, topped with cheese and broiled.

Or you could go the soup route. Marcella Hazan has a white bean soup with garlic & parsley - maybe not the best dish if it's hot outside, but tasty in winter.

You can also make a white bean dip by just adding garlic, red pepper flakes, basil / parsley, etc...

[TdeV]

@weinoo has this totally fabulous dish with white beans and Parmigiano and roasted garlic. See recipe here.

 

Mitch Weinstein's photo.

 

 

Edited July 8 by TdeV
Add name of photographer (log)

[weinoo]

4 hours ago, TdeV said:

@weinoo has this totally fabulous dish with white beans

 

He does???!!!

[Smithy]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

 

He does???!!!

 

You're busted!!

[Smithy]

Thanks for some great ideas, folks! I can see I'll have to use all this batch and then keep a bunch of already cooked beans in the refrigerator, stored in their liquid, per Joe Yonan's cookbook Cool Beans (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). Thanks for the reminder, @blue_dolphin. I bought the book last March, but have been a bit too preoccupied to remember it until you asked.

[blue_dolphin]

18 minutes ago, Smithy said:

Thanks for some great ideas, folks! I can see I'll have to use all this batch and then keep a bunch of already cooked beans in the refrigerator, stored in their liquid, per Joe Yonan's cookbook Cool Beans (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). Thanks for the reminder, @blue_dolphin. I bought the book last March, but have been a bit too preoccupied to remember it until you asked.

I find the bean cook times in that book to be on the long side, at least for RG beans but he has some good ideas. I think I made all the bean dips and he used them in some nice combos that made them more of a meal. Like the the roasted cauliflower served on black chickpea hummus with black garlic and preserved lemon and the Roasted Beet Hummus Bowl with Turmeric Tahini and Peanut Dukkah, both of which I posted in the lunch topic.

[Smithy]

On 7/8/2024 at 1:32 PM, TdeV said:

@weinoo has this totally fabulous dish with white beans and Parmigiano and roasted garlic. See recipe here.

 

Mitch Weinstein's photo.

 

 

 

My take was completely different -- no surprise there -- but this treatment was good, despite its less than artistic appearance. 🙂

 

 

It wasn't an appetizer for more than one person; it was my dinner (in addition to a small green salad). I thought I'd drizzle it with the dipping oil shown -- which I bought a few years ago in Yuma and still haven't opened -- but I'd already added so much olive oil that it wasn't needed. The beans were mashed onto slices of toasted sourdough. It all needed more acid, and I ended up drizzling some of my salad dressing (lemon vinaigrette) onto the toast for that purpose.

 

 

There's more of the bean/cheese/garlic dish. I'll enjoy polishing it off in the next few days.

[blue_dolphin]

If anyone's looking for bean salad ideas, Rancho Gordo is featuring a different bean salad recipe every day in the month of July.  Today's is a corona bean salad. 

You can see them all at this link.