Recipes — Vegetarian

  Oven-roasted tomatoes don’t compare to fresh in-season tomatoes, but they’re a terrific flavor booster to have on hand. Use them like sun-dried tomatoes in salads, pasta, and of course, with beans. One pound of dry beans yields about six cups of cooked. Make them a day ahead so they can cool and you’ll have one more thing done the day you serve them. 6 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Flageolet beans (from 1 pound dried) 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, sliced in half 5 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped from stems Salt and pepper Olive oil 1 medium red onion, chopped fine 1...

There was about a cup of garbanzos and a cup of their broth sitting in the refrigerator. I was starving. Well, quite hungry. I added some frozen spinach, olive oil and a teaspoon of our new Smoked Pimentón Paprika. Once heated through, a drizzle of my best olive oil and a scant squeeze of lemon. Holy cow. There is a temptation to add even more pimentón but a teaspoon is perfect. I am not the biggest spinach fan so I only had frozen on hand. I don’t dislike it but I prefer it when other people make things with it....

One of the nicest ways to eat white beans, especially Royal Coronas, is in a savory tomato sauce. I love adding soft cinnamon (canela) to tomatoes for a rich, woodsy flavor. Don’t try this with typical hard American cinnamon, which is somewhat harsh. The technique of “frying” the sauce is very Mexican and if you’re inspired, you could easily add some sliced pickled jalapeño chiles just before serving. 4 tomatoes from a can of whole tomatoes, chopped roughly ½ cup tomato juice, reserved from the can ½ yellow onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 sticks Rancho...

I had a pound of frozen corn in my freezer and I’m trying my best to actually use what’s in there. I’m very good at putting things into the freezer compartment but I’m not so talented at actually using them. I hate wasting food, so despite corn coming into the farmers markets and stores, I used the frozen. It was a fine dish and I plan to make it again and again. The kernels of corn pop and the beans make it seem creamy and indulgent. I used epazote, a wonderful weed mostly famous for flavoring black beans in Oaxaca...

It’s a good thing when your neighbor is Connie Green and she offers you a nice big bag of chantrelle mushrooms. It’s even better when you have a pot of Alubia Blancas on the stove, ready to eat. Here's what I did with my bounty: Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and cut into bite-sized pieces if they’re big. Sauté mushrooms over medium-low heat in both butter and olive oil (2:1 ratio) and lots of minced garlic. A thyme sprig would also be welcome. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms begin to soften and release their juices, 8 to 10...

I don’t want to pretend that this is a clever recipe that I slaved over. I had some cooked Christmas Lima beans and I had a jar of artichoke hearts. Ta da. I love artichoke hearts and the ones you find in a jar are perfectly delicious. They have a strong flavor so cooking with them isn’t always easy. I just heated the limas and the artichokes until they were warm and tossed them with chopped fresh parsley. There’s plenty of oil on the artichokes. No need for more, but I won’t judge if you do. I would think this...

I hadn’t cooked Yellow Indian Woman beans for quite awhile. They’re small and dense but somehow creamy at the same time. I think they’d be great in a chili but as usual, a simplebowl with little garnish is my preferred way to enjoy them. Macerated shallots are my current obsession: a sweet little bite that adds acid, texture and flavor. It’s not as harsh as a plain onion would be. For this meal, the Yellow Indian Woman beans met with the shallots and a few crumbles of goat cheese. As the whole mess settles and melts you get what is...

From Julia Newberry, my co-author of The Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen, we have this great burger alternative. We tried a lot of bean burgers and this was the one that worked for us. I actually prefer these as smaller fritters. From Julia: "I started out thinking I would make little bean “fritters” but ended up making 3-inch patties and wrapping them in butter lettuce to eat. It turns out that the same basic recipe can be used whether you want to shape the mixture into a small ball (fritter), a small patty, or a large patty. I prefer these with...

From Julia at Rancho Gordo: I’ve developed a real love for summer-ripe Early Girl tomatoes. To me, they are the perfect salad tomato: meaty, sweet, and juicy, but not so juicy that they create a soggy salad. I’ve also developed a (possibly unhealthy) obsession with French sheep’s milk feta cheese. Every week I buy a big chunk of it, resting in brine in a plastic container, and crumble it over just about anything. Sometimes I eat it plain. It has a rich creaminess that I haven’t found in other feta cheeses. Chopped cucumber would be a nice addition to this...

There is no shame in accepting a little help now and again. For me lately, this means indulging in jars of roasted red pepper. In the summer, when bell peppers are plentiful and a fair price, I actually enjoy roasting them, peeling them and then resting them in olive oil with some garlic. In the meantime, pulling one out of a jar works for me. They are a natural partner with beans and this salad is easy to like. This salad works at cold or at room temperature. I used brined capers but well rinsed salt-packed capers would be ideal....

I remember when I first started gardening and I had the bright idea that direct-seeding tomatoes in the ground was the best idea. The plants were incredible and strong and the perfume they exuded made me want to bottle it. Have you ever rubbed a tomato plant just to smell? It’s worth it. The yields were nothing to be proud of but I had nearly a hundred plants so there were plenty of tomatoes, even with my poor gardening skills. The memory of that summer and just too darned many tomatoes makes me very happy.  Ingredients: 1 pound heirloom tomatoes,...

This is a flexible salad recipe featuring some of our favorite summer ingredients. Adjust the ingredient amounts based on your preferences and how many people you are serving.  Ingredients: Cooked cactus paddles (nopales), see below Radishes, very thinly sliced Corn off the cob Rancho Gordo Yellow Indian Woman beans, cooked Oven-Roasted Tomatoes, chopped (see below) Rancho Gordo Wild Rice, cooked Banana Vinegar or white wine vinegar Extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper Combine all ingredients to taste in a salad bowl. Oven-Roasted Tomatoes The best tomatoes are “in season.” If you’re in a bind, use Romas. Cut tomatoes in...