An "encore" post while I'm on the road. – Steve
Who knew? One of the best dishes I made this year was a simple pot of white Runner cannellini beans and clams. Cook them in a simple mirepoix
and once cooked, add some chopped tomatoes, a little chorizo, and some
parsley. After the flavors are happy and carefree, add fresh clams. Cook
until they open. Of course throw out any bad ones that stay closed and
refuse to indulge in this glorious mess of a dish.
I think this would be a great meal for Christmas Eve. You could also improvise and add some chiles for a kick.
We just discovered that the canellini runner is what some call “butter beans” (sold by Iacopi Farm in Half Moon Bay at our local Mountain Veiw Farmer’s Market). We love to eat them with large shrimp, and flavored with tarragon from our garden-
I’m happy to discover your heirloom seeds for beans- hard to find! I can’t wait to try growing the canellini runner…
Urban Artichoke
To be technical, there’s no such thing as an Italian butter bean. That’s a Iacopi family tradition, erroneously named. Butter beans are limas and this is a runner. But it’s not our runner cannellini. I’m pretty sure what they grow is an Emergo, which is a little more potatoey while the runner cannellini is a little creamier. They can be exchanged for recipes, but they are in fact two different beans.