Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Rancho Gordo Beans

We recently placed another order for Rancho Gordo beans.   This time we tried a bean called Scarlet Runner.  Surprisingly, these beans were huge.  I did not know quite what to do with them.  The label on the bag said they were meaty and crying for mushrooms.  So, after soaking all night, I sauteed some onions and mushrooms and added them to the cooked beans along with some fresh thyme. 

We enjoyed the large beans.  I only used half the bag for this meal and we even had left-overs.  The way I cooked them was good, we enjoyed them, but if anyone has any other hints as to what to do with these Scarlet Runners, I would be willing to try another recipe.

We served them along with a green salad and marinated flank steak.  We found the marinate last June at Noble Pig, a great blog.  I will definitely try this marinate again.  Flank steak is a favorite as of late.  We buy a package at Costco and then divide into several meals.  It is always tender, grills quickly and very, very good.

Quick-Marinated Flank Steak
Adapted from Gourmet by Noble Pig

1 1/2-2 lb flank steak
1/4 cup grainy mustard (or Dijon, not grainy)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced, peeled ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Place the flank steak in a Ziploc bag.  Whisk together the mustard, lime juice, Worcestershire, soy sauce, hoisin, garlic, ginger and pepper until smooth, then pour over steak, turn to coat.  Chill for 1 hour before grilling to perfection.

18 comments:

  1. I've grown Scarlett Runner beans! I didn't grow them for the beans but for the beautiful red flowers they produce. The pods and beans are huge!

    We love teriyaki marinated flank steak too. This one has a few extra additions from my recipe that sound delicious.

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  2. I've also grown them and they are lovely around a doorway or on poles. And I first saw them in our landlord's garden when we were living in Germany. You should be able to plant a few of the dried beans you bought and grow them if you want to, though I'm not sure about the climate....The way you cooked them sounds great.

    You have lovely recipes.

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  3. I have the link to order those luscious looking beans--I think from your previous post on them. I've grown them to show but never put them on the table. Why not?

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  4. Holy cow! You are not kidding. Those beans are huge!!!
    What a new and interesting way to enjoy beans. I think the mushrooms and thyme were a good flavor combination.

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  5. They look great and are really large! Your flank steak sounds delicious. I've never made it but must give it a try because of all the good ingredients.

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  6. What a great meal! Love flank steak and love beans. We also like to try new recipes with beans, as my husband is diabetic beans are a great source of fiber and protein for him! I'm going to try your marinade also!

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  7. I have never seen beans like that in my life; what a revelation! your recipe looks and sounds really good.

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  8. Those are huge beans! I am loving the flank steak marinade.

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  9. Those are some big beans! Rancho Gordo are the best beans ever. I need to place another order. The way you cooked these sounds delish. If the beans are really meaty, I'd be tempted to use them as the 'meat' portion of a stew with lots of carrots, onions, mushrooms, celery, etc.

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  10. In my gardens I always grew scarlet runners. We atr them at the string bean stage and never thought to let the seed mature. The humminghirds loved the scarlet, trumpet-shaped flowers so we had double the pleasure.

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  11. OH.MY.GOODNESS!!! I have never seen such huge beans! And, judging from the comments, the flowers must be beautiful, too. I'm about to go follow your link about the Scarlet Runners. Flank steak: yum.

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  12. Wow Susan. Those beans are huge. It sounds like from your responses that they are lovely grown as decorations.

    Love the marinade with the flank steak.
    Sam

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  13. Susan, soak and cook them just till tender then make a salad of them. The flank steak sounds delicious. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  14. Anonymous10:38 AM

    Wow--I've never seen such large beans!! Looks like you'd only need a handful to fill you up.

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  15. Happy Thanksgiving guys!!!

    Wow these foodie posts are making me sooo hungry!!! I've never seen a bean that LARGE.

    That Bean & Sausage Stew looks good, perfect for a cold winter's day!

    Waving from WA at my sister's place.

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  16. Those are some big beans! I like what you did with them though...so simple yet tasty!

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  17. Susan, they look a bit like our Sadie's Horse Beans we grew this summer, and they are meaty and wonderful... I made a chicken stew. I have dried some for starts next season; in the event you could grow them I'd be happy to ship you a few. ;)

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  18. Laughing, my husband loves to grow scarlet runners, but we never do anything with them. He just plants them again the next year. Why, I don't know, but he loves watching them grow.

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