Year of the Bean

One of the other late-in-the-year, new-to-me beans from Rancho Gordo, the Santa Maria Pinquito is a delightful little guy. I don’t eat beef so no tri-tip BBQ for me, but I did want to make them a whole meal, so loaded up on the aromatics and added a bit of spice.

Ingredients

• 200g Santa Maria Pinquito beans
• one medium onion, chopped small
• one stalk celery, chopped small
• one medium carrot, peeled and chopped small
• one habenero pepper, chopped fine [optional]
• one clove garlic, minced
• one bay leaf (fresh if possible)
• olive oil
• 2 tsp. salt
• fresh black pepper

Procedure

1. Combine all ingredients save for salt in pot; cover with 2″ of water
2. Raise to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes
3. Lower to a simmer and cook until beans begin to soften; when beans are soft, add salt and generous grinds of fresh black pepper
4. Cook for another couple of minutes, making sure there’s still plenty of bean broth
5. Serve on their own, with rice, or mixed with some other beans for a chili!