@TheCookiethe chili looks great. We generally like a thicker chili with beef but I might try your chicken chili version next week. Dang I wish I lived in LA to get some Tartine or Republique bread.
I started a batch of Vaquero beans this morning. Used the traditional 10min boil simmer for 2 hours (ooops was on a work call) with aromatics, bay leaf, smoked parika, cumin, oregano, salt and Trader Joe’s mushroom umami powder. Cooked them for too long so they are softer than I wanted but they taste great. These might be my favorite of the smaller beans.
Yah, I like thick beef chili too. The 1st photo was in the pot and still pretty wet but thickened up a bit the next day. The chicken definitely has a milder flavor. I like it more than dense, ground turkey, but I did add olive oil and a couple spoonfuls of leftover bacon fat as a substitute for the yummy, oily, beef fat & to give it more oomph… another edit coming.
That reminds me I need to do an edit to give a 3rd chili tip learned from @aaqjr’s posted recipe - cook with the top off, to reduce and make it thicker.
Peruvian Beans are magic! My mother uses them in place of Pinto Beans for her re-fried beans. Super creamy and lucious.
YES!! At first I was disappointed that it was not 100% Mushroom Powder, but the blend is magic. It has just enough mustard powder to brighten those long simmering items JUST that much that it adds to their Umami. In Spanish it’s called “Paladar” It really help enliven things that you worry are too flat or you want to serve the same day vs. the next day when they usually taste best. Not much is needed at all. A sprinkle over the pot about 30 minutes before pulling from heat.
The Caballeros have been deleted from Rancho Gordo’s website, so I emailed them to see if they’re discontinued and they said No but they took them off because they won’t be available for a long time.
Probably a little far afield but both Epicurus and Nicole’s have a few different dried mushrooms. I usually buy the porcinis but those are just the cheapest and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen morels and more.
Nicole’s are actually significantly cheaper (so that’s what I buy and I like 'em) but I’m not sure where they source them whereas it’s right on the bag at Epicurus if that’s a concern of yours.
You are correct. These beans need a salt brine AND a l-o-n-g soak. When I cooked mine I brine soaked them for nearly 24 hours, then a hard boil for 15-20 minutes and it still took them well over 2 hours to get done. I think the long brine helped speed up the process. On the RG Bean Club FB page there were people reporting that they cooked theirs for 5 or 6 hours before they got done. Baking is a good option. I used my 5 qt. Le Creuset casserole to cook them.
@TheCookie I think about what I can combine with my beans while laying in bed at night. I might be going crazy.
Vaquero beans, egg, leftover pork shoulder, mint, sharp cheddar and avocado. This ended up being closer to bean soup but it we delicious. My son ended up picking up the bowl and slurping down the bean juices.
Because of this post, another about the Le Crueset sale and after watching way too many De Mi Rancho Videos… I was finally inspired to take out my never used La Chamba pot and use it to make beans. I was always a little nervous because it’s a long and shallow version and because not even my abuela used clay pots. Nevertheless, I spent this afternoon reading up on it, seasoned it and then set upon using it with some Adorable RG Lila beans.
I got these beans at Monsieur Marcels… mostly because they were on the smaller side and were purple. But I’ve been happy with the products I’ve gotten from their Xoxoc Project so I decided to give these a try with the clay pot…
And so, I soaked the beans because that is just what I do… and I set to do like I always do. Two Onion Quarters, Aromatics, A Bayleaf and Course Sea Salt half way…
I started the Chamba pot slow and set time to half way point. It took nearly 30 minutes to get it to a strong simmer, so I though I was in the right path… So I went to salt them at the hour mark and they were almost done! I decided on another half hour and then when I went back… OVER DONE. Opps…
Usually with the Le Crueset I leave the pot slightly uncovered and check in at those 30 minute points to add more water if needed. But with the Chamba Pot, the lid is imperfect so it vents just enough… but most of the water stays in the pot.
Overall, I was really happy with how the pot performed and how the beans came out even though they are splitty. They were wonderfully tender and the liquor was so tasty. I didn’t get any of the supposed smokey ‘minerally’ flavor from the pot, but I did appreciate the shorter cooking time. I’ll adjust for that next time…
Rancho Gordo is still mostly out and I’m trying hard to stay in, so I bought this box from Semolina this week. I’ve been a huge fan of Leah’s for years and even though it’s a but of a premium, I love each of these items and I know I will use each thing in this box…
I made my favorite dump chili with Chicken Thighs… Not much tomatoes (We had about a cup of some home made pizza sauce left over) and a can of beer (Golden Road Get Up Offa That Brown was an excellent addition) and two big spoonfuls of Penzey’s Chili 3000, a smidge of ground cumin and smoked paprika. Thinned with the bean liquor and a 1/2 cup of Rancho Gordo Pozole cooked up along side. I added the beans and fully cooked pozole in the last 30 minutes and although chili is best the next day… we could not resist a bowl!
The beans came out great! They had such a soft plump texture. Not the slightest bit starchy. Unlike other beans that just get lost in a chili that is a bit busy like mine… These were the certainly the highlight of the dish.
I don’t usually put this much stuff into a pot of beans when I cook them but I’ve got lots of stuff to choose from and figured why not?
These are RG Vaquero beans (in the anasazi bean family). I did not soak. Added a large shallot, a boat load of garlic, a carrot, some celery leaves and there might have been a bit of stalk in there as well, parsley, thyme, and some bay leaves. 15 minute hard boil, 35 minutes bare simmer, added salt and cooked 10 more minutes, which was 5 minutes too long.
As a general rule, we try not to order online… We prefer to shop locally from local makers… that is why I have been a HUGE fan of Semolina and Leah ever since she started. I remember her actually doing the demos for her pastas at local Cheese shops and just talking about her love of various pastas and shapes. Ever time I visit her store I tease her about that Buccatini she has always been promising…
As we headed into this Covid maddess I had a few bags of Semolina Pasta as well as a few bags of Rancho Gordo Beans. I follow Leah on Facebook and a week into Stay in Place she posted that a belt of one of her main pasta making machines had gotten a nasty splice and she had no idea how it happened or if she can get a machinist to come see it! I checked everyday until she posted again the she was back up and running and was so grateful for all the help she received through it (She has a small staff) and they were now ready to move forward with being able to make their orders and also offer a mail box since her storefront is closed…
When the box went live and I saw she was not only including her pasta, but also RG Beans and my favorite can of tomatoes and paste, without hesitation I ordered! (The fear of being without got to me!) It took a few days to process my order and make my box. But once it was made… it came in a day. Less than a week all in… I haven’t been so excited to receive a package in ages as UPS dropped it off this afternoon!
Everything is so well packed… which is a good thing because Pasta is delicate. The fact that it came so soon and from a local location too I’m sure helped make sure it wasn’t jostled around or changed hands too much. A typical Leah touch was making sure the Thank you card was the first thing you saw.
And now what was inside (after I unwrapped it) Even P… who is more adamant about our non-shipping stance was like OOOOooo!! On the back of Thank You Card Leah wrote the loveliest handwritten note. And she sent recipes!! Leah’s recipes are great. One of our favorite things is her recipe for Lamb Ragu. It is worth seeking out Ricotta Salata for it (Eatly usually has it)
Now you didn’t get a choice of the pasta or the beans in the box… nor a choice in the beans. But we were thrilled with what we got, elbows (Cheezy Mac for sure!) , shells (Pesto & Tuna Pasta Salad) and rigaton (OMG! Perfect for that Ragu!) And the beans! French Green Lentils and Marcella Beans. Both items I’ve not tried before but am eager to try. The bean I will make this week and it should go great with some Fresh Chorizo I have in the freezer… Lentils are a staple in our home. I just buy a scoopful from sprouts and make salads or soups. But these are much smaller and look more plumpy. I will for sure make my favorite lentil soup (As I have a Fennel Bulb that is begging to be put out of its mistery in my fridge) which is you typical recipe… but about 10 minutes before getting done… you gently drop in a few eggs to cook while the pot is bubbling. I usually add in four which is how many servings I make… So keep that in mind… you will never not want to eat this soup again without having a super tender creamy egg to cut into it…
Again, the price of box is a little above retail for the items, but it’s free shipping and I feel great knowing all the of the cash is going to Semolina. She has a small business and young family. She didn’t need to do this. She could have just filled her wholesale orders (Or not) and probably been fine re-opening after the crisis. But this is 100% her wanting to make great product and get it to those who appreciate it. So if you think you could use a box like this for now and maybe even out to the future, I would not hesitate to order it (Or to pay her a visit once she re-opens)
There’s a white bean recipe I really like, adapted from the Frankies Sputino cookbook. In fact it’s on the stove right now. I noticed one of the boxes in the pictures already comes with Bianco tomatoes and pasta. (They have an ongoing relationship with him).
Make a soup, start by sauteeing onions, celery, carrot… that kind of thing. ‘Sofrito’ as Italians call it.
Soak the beans overnight, them toss into the pot. Add stock, and simmer for a few hours.
Sautee some escarole (kale or any bitter greens work quite well too), with garlic and red dried chili pepper. Toss it into the soup once a bright green color.
Boil some pasta, and add at your leisure. You’ve got ‘pasta fagiola’.
They recommend trying it cold in the morning, with a few spoons of marinara sauce, olive oil, chopped parsley, and grated Parm.
