Ayocote Morado from North America
It was love at first sight...
From £7.45 GBP
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Beautiful markings and a dense, rich flavour make this rarity a favourite. Almost a marriage between a black bean and a pinto, but unique in its own right. The Heirloom Bean Co sources these and a range of other Phaseolus beans from North American bean specialist Rancho Gordo, founded in the early 2000s by Steve Sando to preserve and promote traditional and rare bean varieties of the Americas. |
Raw, the markings on a Moro rank among the prettiest of all our heirloom beans, but it's when they've been cooked that you'll be especially happy with them. Moros boast a rich, dense texture and a bean broth that you could eat alone as a soup, without the beans!
These beans were first spied in Puebla, Mexico. The design was so beautiful and detailed, it wasn't clear they were even a bean. Later our sourcing agent found farmers in Hidalgo who grew a version with just a touch of purple mixed in - and he was instantly smitten. A local cook revealed that at the end of the growing season, the women plant the beans and harvest them as young greens, served up sautéed in butter. A culinary rarity in Mexico, just like the Moro itself.
Images & cooking instructions © Rancho Gordo Inc.
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Kitchen Suggestions
Pot beans, soups, salads, casseroles, dips, refried beans. Velvety yet solid, we think Moros are great for stews and slow-cooked one pot meals. They also make peerless refried beans.
Cooking these beans - the Rancho Gordo method
Check beans for debris, and rinse thoroughly. In a large pot, sauté aromatic vegetables (onions, garlic, celery, carrot etc.) in olive oil. Add beans and enough water to cover by about 2 inches/5cm. Bring to a full boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, using a lid to help regulate the heat, and gently cook until done, 1 to 3 hours. Salt when beans start to soften. A pre-soak of 2 to 6 hours will lessen the cooking time.
Recipe ideas
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Ingredients
Moro Beans
Similar to: Lila, Rio Zape
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of origin: Mexico
Sold in resealable 1lb (453g) bags
