Alubia Blanca from North America
A small white bean with vast...
From £7.45 GBP
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A beautiful and very capable Borlotti bean thought to have been popularised in Colombia, where they’re known as Cargamento beans, before being introduced to Europe in the 16th century. 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. |
The pretty mottled skin, suggestive of fresh cranberries in their pod, encloses a dense, rich bean with a mild, nutty sweetness that exudes an equally indulgent broth. Borlottis are a cornerstone of Italian cuisine, especially in the Veneto region, but they’ve also been bred around the world, known variously as Madeira beans, Tongues of Fire, Wren’s Egg and - in Mexico - Cacahuate (peanut) beans. The ‘cranberry’ name likely came about due to their resemblance to cranberries in their pod, especially when harvested mature but still fresh.
Images & cooking instructions © Rancho Gordo Inc.
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Kitchen Suggestions
A whole host of traditional Italian dishes, from minestrone soup to pasta e fagioli, are built on Borlottis, and they’re also fabulous in vegetarian risottos. They’re the basis of many baked-bean recipes and pair brilliantly with flaked tuna and diced red onion dressed with olive oil and lemon juice. In Mexico, puréed cranberries are blended with roasted tomatoes and chicken stock for a Sopa Tarasca, generally topped with strips of fried tortilla. And as we speak, someone, somewhere is mixing cooked, oil-drizzled cranberries into a bowl of last-night’s leftovers.
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
Rancho Gordo’s Cranberry Bean and Cauliflower Spread on Toasted Bread
Rancho Gordo’s Polenta with Cranberry Beans and Tomato Sauce
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Ingredients
Cranberry Beans
Similar to: Pinto, Borlotti
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of origin: USA
Sold in resealable 1lb (453g) bags
