A customer sent in a recipe from the UK paper, The Guardian, by Spanish chef José Pizarro. It was for a traditional Basque stew using Toloso beans, which are famous and somewhat wonderful. A runner bean like Ayocote Negro would be close, but not quite. Oddly, our Whipple bean is...

1 pound uncooked Rancho Gordo Midnight or Santanero Negro Delgado black beans, picked over and rinsed8 cups water½ bunch of green onions, white and tender green parts, rinsed1 small garlic head, rinsed but unpeeled, or 4 to 5 large garlic cloves, unpeeled1 tablespoon olive oilSalt1 large yellow onion, finely chopped½...

Inspired by a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, here is a dish you could take to a gathering and serve at room temperature. So many hosts want some help but dread hearing, "What can I bring?" Make it easy on them and bring this. Or serve it as a side at your own celebration. 1...

Allison Robicelli is a very provocative food writer and when she's not making me laugh on Twitter, she's offering solid advice for things like cabbage. This is her technique for cabbage wedges; I think they're an ideal buddy for a bowl of perfectly cooked heirloom beans.  1 pound whole white...

Runner beans make a welcome component in a salad because they are thick-skinned and firm, but with a creamy interior. You can prepare all the components of this salad in advance, but wait until just before serving to combine everything, so all the ingredients stay crisp and fresh. ½ bunch fresh cilantro...

Nowadays, modern cooks prepare the rice and beans together, but in the traditional Cuban manner, the rice and beans are cooked separately and the Moors (beans) don’t encounter the Christians (rice) until they meet on your plate. Both methods are great, though we prefer the sharper, more distinct flavors the...

Melisa in our retail department made refried beans one day with our Santa Maria Pinquito beans. We had never tried refritos with the Pinquitos and it blew everyone away! Melisa offered to come up with a recipe featuring them. She couldn’t decide whether to do a green or a red salsa, so...

Nopales are prickly-pear cactus paddles that you can find in most Mexican markets and some supermarkets. You can often buy them precleaned, but if you need to do it yourself, here are some tips.  1 to 2 cups cleaned, cubed nopales (cactus paddles) ¼ of a white onion, chopped 3...

  Our staff test kitchen tried a new version of Red Beans and Rice from the recent book, Bludso's BBQ Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 2022). They'd made it with our Domingo Rojo beans and author Kevin Bludso's recipe. I am always happy to try a bean dish but I knew...

These open-faced sandwiches are a favorite Mexican comfort food. You can vary the type of bread, cheese, and toppings, but you'll want to use homemade refried beans if possible for this dish to really shine.    2 bolillo Mexican bread rolls (can substitute French bread or ciabatta) ½ to 1 cup refried...

There is not one single method of cooking beans. At its most basic, you want to simmer the pot until the beans are soft. Soaking can speed up the process and vegetables or stock will make them more flavorful. It's really that simple. There's all kinds of fine tuning and...

This salsa is similar to a relish. I add a healthy plop to a bowl of good beans and call it a meal. The photo features Ayocote Morado, but any bean would love the company. 6 to 10 pieces of Rancho Gordo plain xoconostle, soaked for 6 hours in water,...