email this pageYou’ll find Sando’s beans on some of America’s best restaurant menus—stuffed into fat and tender ravioli, slathered on crostini toasts or puréed with fresh rosemary to serve with lamb at spots like Per Se in New York City, CityZen in Washington, D.C., and French Laundry in Yountville, Calif.
While it’s truly amazing to discover the variety of flavors and textures in these rare legumes, Sando says saving heirloom beans also protects genetic diversity and celebrates indigenous, heritage foods. Some of his beans are Native American varieties; others come from Mexico and points south. He scours the countryside for heirloom beans to test in field trials every year. He sells 30 varieties by mail order (www.ranchogordo.com) and at San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza market, where his stall is a vibrant confetti of red, black, white, gold and mottled purple beauties. The difference in varieties is obvious to the eye, but the real surprise is on the tongue.
Simmered with a little onion and garlic, these unique beans reveal their many nuances. Most change color as they cook. Some remain firm; others turn soft and starchy, collapsing into a rich, creamy “pot licker” sauce. Each has its own distinctive flavor, from fresh and “beany” to earthy, meaty and even nutty.
Rancho Gordo Drunken Beans
Ingredients
1 cup chopped onion, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
2 cups dried beans Ojo de Cabra (Goat’s Eye) or pinto beans
3/4 cup dark, sweet beer
1 thick slice bacon
3 serrano peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
Limes wedges
2. Add beer and simmer about 15 minutes.
3. Cook bacon in a frying pan until crisp. Remove bacon and all but 1 tablespoon of fat from pan, reserving the bacon. Add peppers and remaining onion and garlic; sauté until tender. Add mushrooms; cook until tender. Chop reserved bacon and add to pan.
4. Combine bacon mixture with bean mixture. Cook 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 6.
"Relish a New American Farmer," Feb. 2007.
Runner Cannellini Bean Salad
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 scant teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fruity extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot; sauté until tender. Stir in beans, and add enough water to cover by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 2 hours or until beans are tender, adding water as necessary to keep beans covered. Drain and place in a bowl.
3. Add red onion, bell pepper, garlic, oregano and tomato; stir. Add olive oil, vinegar and salt. Toss gently. Serves 6.
"Relish a New American Farmer," February 2007.
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