A few leftovers and some milk that was about to expire led to this really fine breakfast.
Ayocote beans are runner bean. Phaseolus coccineus. This family includes Scarlet Runners and Royal Corona. They tend to be big and go from starchy to creamy. They don’t mind a little rough handling, which makes them great for salads but Ayocote Negros (which I used here) have a really beefy broth that’s excellent on its own. Ayocote Morado are the purple version but once cooked, they’re pretty interchangeable.
If your milk is about to go, heat it to 180F and then add some acid, like lemon or our Pineapple Vinegar with a pinch of salt. Leave it for 10 minutes and then strain it through cheesecloth. It’s good! And it beats wasting milk. There are many recipes and techniques on the web but we like this version from The Kitchn best.
Also on hand were a batch of Paula Wolfert’s great and easy Sandpot Mushrooms.
The mushrooms met the beans and a little thyme and some Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice. The whole mess was topped off with a healthy dose of The Olive Queen’s very limited Olio Nuovo and all was right in the world.
Thanks for the ricotta recipe. I’ll print the bean recipe out and try it for brunch/lunch.