The holidays have come and gone, and many a new recipe awaits. I was the lucky recipient of multiple cookbooks this year, and I have to admit initially I was feeling a little overwhelmed by all the options. But then, the gift of the Le Creuset dutch oven- my very first!- came to the rescue. Suddenly it seemed every recipe I saw was a perfect candidate for the Le Creuset. So I fired her right up with stews on the mind.
The first recipe I decided to try was a lamb stew from a fantastic cookbook called Heirloom Beans by Steve Sando and Vanessa Barrington. Inspired by my other current favorite cookbook, D.I.Y. Delicious, also by Vanessa an acquaintance from EcoSalon, I decided to check out this earlier book of hers. As you may have figured out by now if you’ve been perusing the recipes posted on this blog, I have taken a keen interest in cooking with dried beans. With all the nuances associated with soaking, flavoring and cooking the beans, what’s not to love?!
It’s amazing what happens to one’s cooking habits when working from home. While the stay-at-home-contractor-job has its pluses and minuses, one bonus is the ability to slow-cook food, prepping through-out the day. Not so surprising then that I’ve taken no issue with recipes requiring hours of soaking and simmering. No problem! There’s nothing so satisfying as a “bean-stirring-work-break” not to mention the perk of the delectable food that comes with it. (Flatulence aside, ahem.)
So, moving on, back to the heirloom beans. I had no idea about all these incredible heirloom beans- I’m dying to try them all. Here I’ve been cooking with the old boring standards, cannellini, black and pinto. Whatever. I could be making dishes with “Eye of the Goat Beans,” “Good Mother Stallard Beans,” or “Flor de Mayo Beans.” Now that sounds much more enticing. Even better is I discovered that Steve Sando founder of Rancho Gordo, who grows and sells heirloom beans (hence the book), sells them at the Ferry Building Farmer’s Market in San Francisco. Yay. I will definitely be making my way there soon. (They’re also available at Bi-Rite on 18th-nice!- or order them online.) Once I have a place with a garden again I may try my hand at growing a few heirloom beans myself too.
Recipes soon to follow. And happy New Year! I’m looking forward to more cooking delights in 2011. To cook is to live. – Heather
