General Information
Cranberry Beans are known for their creamy texture with a flavor similar to chestnuts. Cranberry beans are rounded with red specks, which disappear on cooking. These beans are a favorite in northern Italy and Spain. You can find them fresh in their pods in Autumn.
Cooked in a clay pot, really good cranberry shelling beans need nothing more than water and mirepoix to bring out their true flavors. They can be cooked vegetarian (ie: no ham hocks, etc) as the earthenware method proves such great-tasting savory results. Also, if they are a true heirloom variety, chances are they come from a shorter supply chain (probably found at the farmers market directly from the grower), meaning the beans a likely to be a lot fresher than those you find at larger supermarkets.
According to the USDA, the American ‘cranberry bean’ is the same bean as the Italian ‘borlotti’ and, as a matter of fact, a large percentage of the ‘borlotti’ beans sold in Italy are actually ‘cranberry beans’ imported from the U.S. Another name for this bean in the U.S. is ‘French horticultural bean’. These beans are related to the Tongues of Fire Beans. Very popular for Spanish, Italian and Portuguese dishes.
