Abernathy Lima beans

I was scrolling through Instagram, as one does, and a post from one of my favorite chefs, Pierce Abernathy, stopped me in my tracks. He's always had a clever way with beans but he made a point of showing his Rancho Gordo bag as he made his magic. It was a kick seeing our package on his counter and then used in a particularly delicious recipe. You'll note that Pierce uses the "quick soak" method, something we don't bother with, but it's proof that many roads lead to Rome. We prepare our beans in what we call "The Rancho Gordo manner" but there are very few absolutes in life and fewer in cooking. You do you! This dish would be equally as delicious with Royal Coronas (recently back in stock) or even Marcella beans.

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Hot Soak the Beans: Bring water to a boil and pour it over the dried beans in a heatproof container. Add a pinch of baking soda and 1 tbsp kosher salt. Allow the beans to soak and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Step 2

Prepare the Mushrooms: In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chanterelle mushrooms until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt, then remove from the pot and set aside.

Step 3

Sauté Vegetables: In the same Dutch oven, sauté the pearl onions until charred, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe stems and garlic and sauté for an additional 3 minutes, seasoning with salt.

Step 4

Cook the Beans: Drain the soaked beans and add them to the Dutch oven. Cover with water and add the bay leaf, kombu, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and a pinch of baking soda. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer until soft, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure the beans are submerged and adding water if needed.

Step 5

Add Broccoli Rabe Tops: Stir in the broccoli rabe tops and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed.

Step 6

Serve: Ladle the beans and vegetables into bowls. Garnish with the reserved mushrooms, a big squeeze of lemon juice, freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.