Cranberry beans have a milder flavor than the earthy, meaty pinto bean. I would use them on a green salad. OH! Or I would use Peter's recipe for Black Eyed Pea Salad and substitute the peas with the cranberry beans. Oh yeah, that would be perfect.
Anytime I try something new, especially beans, I cook them in the simplest way. I have to know their true flavor before I know which way to go with them. This first time out, I cooked them in my trusty pressure cooker with a few garlic cloves, a bay leaf and a little oil & salt. If you haven't tried cooking beans in a pressure cooker, read How to Cook Pinto Beans in a Pressure Cooker. The cranberry bean is about the same size as the pinto bean, so I cooked them the same amount of time. One more tidbit, they turn brown after they're cooked. If you plan to put them in the freezer for later, be sure to label them to separate them from the pintos you have stored.
I found the cranberry beans at H.E.B. Central Market in the bulk food section; it's the only area of the store that saves me money. They were about $3.oo per pound.
Would I buy them again? Do they need to become a staple in my pantry? Honestly, nah. For all the different varieties of legumes out there, I think I'll keep looking and keep on trying new ones.
I actually do buy cranberry beans. The borlotti from Italy are different than pinto beans and are wonderful in many different dishes.
I love that you use the pressure cooker. I teach pressure cooking and have a DVD on the subject, Pressure Cooking: A Fresh Look, Delicious Dishes in Minutes. I hope that many people hop on board with this to save time, money and energy — for themselves and the planet.
Thanks for the post.
Jill, I'm a big fan of the pressure cooker…great time saver and safe! Thanks for the shout-out too!