The Bean Book from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen
The Bean Book from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen
From Steven Sando, the founder of...
From £30.00 GBP
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A versatile, velvet‑textured heirloom with gentle grain‑berry warmth, and exceptional broth‑building power. Certified organic Cranberry Beans harvested at Seneca Farm, upstate New York, USA. The Heirloom Bean Co sources these Phaseolus beans from Vermont Bean Crafters in New England, America. |
These organic Cranberry beans benefit from the slow and careful rhythms of their cultivation at Seneca Farm in upstate New York, run by the Martens family: a solid autumn curing, meticulous hand‑sorting, and soils that give these mottled beauties a plush, almost pudding‑soft interior once cooked. Their flavour is distinctly grain‑nut with a faint berry warmth, not sweet but quietly aromatic — a profile that feels more expressive than their commodity-scale Borlotti rivals.
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Recipe Suggestions
These beans thrive in vegetarian dishes that lean on fragrance and gentle richness. A pot of Cranberries with leeks, fennel and a splash of white wine becomes silky and aromatic, the beans absorbing the anise notes. They’re exceptional in a roasted tomato and basil broth, where their starch creates a velvety base without needing cream. For something earthier, pair them with slow‑cooked chard, garlic and lemon zest, letting the greens melt into the bean liquor. Or build a warm bowl with Cranberries, roasted parsnips and buckwheat, the bean’s softness balancing the grain’s nuttiness.
Cooking these beans
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 the beans start to soften. A pre-soak of 2 to 6 hours will lessen the cooking time.
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Ingredients
Cranberry Beans
Further info
Similar to: Pinto, Borlotti
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of origin: USA
Sold in resealable 453g (1lb) bags
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Typical values Per 100g Energy 1458kJ (348kcal) Fat 1.6g of which saturates 0.3g Carbohydrate 61g of which sugars 2.4g Fibre 24g Protein 21g Salt 0.01g
