Heirloom Thursday: Cargamanto/Cranberry Beans

Exactly one year ago, I wrote a post on Mayacoba beans, which has strangely become one of the most frequent portals into my blog!  So now for another post on heirloom beans, also obtained from Rancho Gordo:

History: Cranberry beans, which are unusual but not uncommon, are one and the same as an heirloom variety cargamanto, from Colombia.  They belong to the bean "race" Peru, but the exact time or origin I couldn't find.  These beans are actually mostly tan, but with a splash of cranberry color in random and interesting patterns.  The eyes are white.  They have got a velvety texture and pleasing mild taste and are one of the most versatile dried beans. 

United States Production: around 9 thousand tons, which is about 42 beans (dried) for every citizen of the United States, per year.

Growing: For some reason these are almost all grown in Michigan, according to Legume World.

Eating and Processing: The traditional use for these beans is in a Colombian dish called frijoles antioqueños, which is a recipe which seems much more appetizing that Boston Baked Beans.  Follow this link for the recipe, which suggests (and so do I) using a pressure cooker for making these and most any beans.

Health Information: One ounce of these beans, which is awfully close to the 42 beans that are your annual allotment, has 94 calories.  It also has 7 grams of fiber (28% of RDA).  Other strengths are a solid portion of protein (13% of RDA, including all essential amino acids), 42% of daily folate, and more than 10% of RDA of many minerals. 

Where to Find: From Rancho Gordo, for one.  If you can't find cranberry beans, the closest similar bean is the pinto.  Kidney beans are not so very similar but could do in a pinch.

Relevant Blog: The Culinary Addict: I really like this blog, and I'm a little chastened by my superficiality compared to the in-depth writing here.  Link to a discussion of cranberry beans.

Bottom Line: Rich and creamy, often compared to chestnuts, these are a versatile base for soups, stews, and beyond!

References:
1. Wikipedia
2. Cranberry bean nutrition facts
3. Image of cargamanto beans from Flickr Creative Commons