I picked up a package of shelled fresh pinto beans at the farmers market a few weeks ago.
The beans, fresh from their pods, looked so different with their shiny, plump skins and variegated coloring.
It was an impulse buy.
Once I got home with the speckled pink and creamy green beans I realized I hadn't a clue how long to cook them. All of my previous bean cooking experience was with dried beans. After consulting the experts -- my mom, my friends and my vast collection of cookbooks -- I was even more confused. None of the books had any useful information about cooking fresh shelled beans at all. The experts were in disagreement. Some said the beans would cook very fast and taste even better than dried. Others said the fresh beans would lack the rich flavor and creamy, buttery texture I so love about pintos.
I decided to just cook the beans as I normally would, sans soaking, and see what happened.
What happened was magical.
In just 45 minutes the beans were buttery soft and swimming in their glorious, brown potlikker.
I served the beans over cornbread waffles -- take your favorite cornbread batter, thin it with a little extra milk and cook it in a waffle iron. It was the perfect summer meal. Well, almost perfect. A fat, juicy homegrown tomato would have made it perfect.
Fresh Pinto Beans
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 cups fresh shelled pinto beans
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Water
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is just beginning to soften. Add the beans, salt and pepper and enough water to cover by 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until beans are tender.
Makes about 5 cups.
Food on 07/16/2014