I’m a stickler about not adding salt to cooking beans until they are soft (I’ve heard all the arguments and don’t care ). But! I finally succumbed to the overnight salt soaking method, especially for these Caballeros that take hours to cook. Soaked 1lb of beans overnight (3-6hrs is fine) in cool, purified water & 3 tbls of salt, then rinsed. It worked! Cut down cook time, they weren’t salty and skins plumped and weren’t tough.
I these dense, but creamy, almost dairy-like Caballeros (great for vegetarians). Sometimes I use RG’s recipes but their beans are so good and produce such great bean broth (more like gravy) that I mostly just add aromatics (leaks or onions, carrots, garlic, celery, bay leaf) skosh of olive oil & pepper. I don’t fill the cooking pot all the way up with water because chicken stock is added when beans are soft (about the last hour) along w/a bit of bacon or trimmed salt pork (from WF), salt, more pepper & 1 tbls of red wine vinegar to brighten. If you like beans on rice use basmati or something long grain to avoid starch on starch.
Last night leftover sautéed tomatoes went directly on the beans w/the garlic-oiled crostini on the side.
Boy, those look gorgeous and are calling my name! How long would you say the cooking time is with salt, and without?
I’ve never done the saling method either because I don’t mind waiting during the long cook time. I also am not averse to using my pressure cooker with beans.
I just went to the Rancho Gordo website, and those beans aren’t in stock right now. Darn!
While I’ve never purchased from Rancho Gordo, the Caballero beans seem to sell out quickly, according to friends in a food group. I think @mariacarmen can elaborate on that fact.
Yayy! Welcome to the cult! I like that method because it works with my tendency to procrastinate, and apparrntly the beans are seasoned throughout and the skins more likely to be intact.
I don’t think I’ve ever purchased their Caballero beans, but all Rancho Gordo beans seem to sell out at one time or another but they usually come back again. I’ve bought the Alubia blancas, King City Pinks, Mayocobas, Cassoulets, Flageolets, the Midnight Black ones, and i don’t even see the giant Royal Coronas on their site anymore… hopefully they’ll come back some time again soon. As for cooking, i now use the simmer with a big pinch of baking soda to cut the cooking time considerably, no soaking. this works very well when i decide i want beans for dinner and it’s already after noon.
Since the lockdown and the end of brunching out, BF makes fries for us every Sunday, and it’s really not that big of a mess to clean up (which I usually do). he does the cold oil method, in our 2 quart+ Staub.
Good news! There are no longer any arguments. There is absolute and simple proof that “don’t salt the beans early” is not only useless wrong advice but may even give worse beans, depending on how you like your beans.
The proof is here, no argument needed, see for yourself:
Never been a bean salter either until right at the end, but I usually do cook them with ham or ham hocks. Will try the salt and soak version as well as RG beans. Have never had them, but heard great things about them for some time now. Will remedy that soon. Thanks for the nudge everyone.
Homemade blinis using some of the starter, with smoked wild salmon, salmon roe, cod roes tarama, black olive tapenade with truffle, lemon confit and dill.
News announced president Macron gets Covid, revealed that he was having dinner party with 11 people but he requested normal citizens to have only 6 people dinner with a curfew of 8 pm. Well…
So what I thought was only 6-8" of snow ended up being at least a foot of the white stuff once I got down to ground level to do a bit of cleaning up in the driveway after the plows came through the complex. Mostly lighter and fluffier so an easy cleanup.
Dinner was a comfort food dish from Mom’s old Panhellenic cookbook from 1968 that was a family favorite growing up: Chicken Diable.
Easy-peasy to make, especially when using a Frankenchicken boneless skinless chickie boobie cut in half lengthwise. I cut back on the butter and salt and increase the curry powder a smidge, and cook at 350° for 45 minutes vs. what the original recipe directions say.
Basmati rice and steamed broccoli alongside. And wine.
I make the pork version, usually with pork shoulder. Spread a thick layer of mustard with thyme mix and cover the whole piece. Last 10 - 15 minutes cooking in oven, raise the temperature and pour beer or wine on the meat.
Last night we decorated cookies when I got home from a short but treacherous drive from work. I’d show you the “after” pics, but I’ll spare you our Jackson Pollock Christmas masterpieces!
). But! I finally succumbed to the overnight salt soaking method, especially for these Caballeros that take hours to cook. Soaked 1lb of beans overnight (3-6hrs is fine) in cool, purified water & 3 tbls of salt, then rinsed. It worked! Cut down cook time, they weren’t salty and skins plumped and weren’t tough.
these dense, but creamy, almost dairy-like Caballeros (great for vegetarians). Sometimes I use RG’s recipes but their beans are so good and produce such great bean broth (more like gravy) that I mostly just add aromatics (leaks or onions, carrots, garlic, celery, bay leaf) skosh of olive oil & pepper. I don’t fill the cooking pot all the way up with water because chicken stock is added when beans are soft (about the last hour) along w/a bit of bacon or trimmed salt pork (from WF), salt, more pepper & 1 tbls of red wine vinegar to brighten. If you like beans on rice use basmati or something long grain to avoid starch on starch.
