rancho gordo

several months ago a friend told me about these great heirloom beans out of napa and then i started reading about them everywhere and knew i had to get some. on our recent road trip, i found anasazi beans and posole at the fatted calf and then bought this at a local bookstore. i usually buy beans in a can and can't be bothered with soaking anything overnight but i must admit i am now a believer. there are many other great types of beans and recipes that i'm excited to explore but here is my first attempt with rancho gordo.

Chicken & Posole Verde

1 cup dried anasazi beans (somewhere between a pinto and kidney bean)

1 cup dried posole

1 bulb garlic, cut in half, not peeled

2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped

10 tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered

2 pasilla chilies, seeded and roughly chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbs olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

1 tbs white wine vinegar

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp ground cumin

1-2 tsp cholula or mexican hot sauce

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

for garnish: cilantro, sour cream, avocado, green cabbage

soak beans and posole 4 hours or overnight and drain. in separate pots, cover beans and posole with water and add 1/2 garlic bulb and 1/2 onion to each. cook until tender, drain and set aside.

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. on a sheet pan, combine tomatillos, one onion, chilies, garlic and olive oil and toss to coat. roast until softened and a little charred, about 40 minutes. cool completely. in a blender or food processor, puree roasted vegetables until smooth.

in a large pot, combine pureed tomatillo sauce, chicken stock, vinegar, lime juice, cumin and cholula. add chicken, cooked beans and posole. bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is done. stir in cilantro and serve with optional garnishes of more cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado and shredded cabbage. enjoy!