Runner Cannellini Beans with Black Truffle Oil

10th May, 2010: Posted by G.L. Pease in Sides, beans, easy, vegetarian

This was inspired by a wonderful side dish served by a friend at one of our yearly gatherings. He was in a Spanish mode at the time, and presented a lovely meal accompanied by a dish of beautiful warm judion beans, dressed very simply with olive oil and a little salt. The large white beans had a wonderful, buttery texture, a delicious flavor, and were absolutely delightful served in this simple way.

I’ve been looking locally for dried judion beans, with no luck. A call to Rancho Gordo, however, found a wonderful replacement; runner cannellini beans. Their current supply (can we call it a crop if it’s already dried?) is large, supple, and thin skinned, with a delightful flavor, and that smooth buttery texture I was chasing. Fantastic! Here’s a slightly revved up version, with a little black truffle oil adding an earthy but sophisticated charms to this simple dish. Read more…»

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Smoky Yellow Eye Beans

2nd May, 2010: Posted by G.L. Pease in KosherKitchen, beans, easy, vegetarian

Steve Sando of Rancho Gordo calls these Yellow Eye beans, “A ham hock’s best friend.” He’s not wrong. This bean, with its thin skin, beautifully velvety texture and lovely toasty, almost smoky flavours, practically begs to be paired with pork. They’re also great for baked beans, and Steve says they make a great alternative to common navy beans in Senate Bean Soup. It’s a wonderful bean.

But, I wanted to do something for my vegetarian and kosher-keeping friends that would deliver some similar flavors in a meat-free way. It starts with Alejandra’s Sweet Chipotle Pickles, which are absolutely fantastic. With a jar of these, a bag of Yellow Eye beans, and a few other ingredients, magic happens. The chiles bring a sweet, smoky, spicy character to the party, and the beans, with their earthy goodness, are more than happy to play along. You can substitute Great Northern beans if you must, but it really is worth tracking down the Yellow Eyes. Read more…»

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