A couple of years ago, in September of 2007, I had the privilege of going on a culinary tour of Spain organized by CUESA. One of the more unique places we visited was the Gallecs, a small agricultural region just 15 kilometers outside of Barcelona. This area truly represents an oasis in the midst of what seems like endless urban sprawl. In fact, some 20 years ago, the Spanish government prepared to turn this historically important region into just that, a series of suburban condominium complexes interspersed with malls and other like institutions of capitalistic avarice. Fortunately for us, and most importantly, the hardworking local Spaniards who were to be displaced by the new government urban plan, the project languished in red tape for years and was eventually scrapped.
The region now represents the largest area of organic farming in all of Catalonia. In 2006, a consortium in cooperation with 11 farmers created a model in which the farmers would diversify away from solely growing wheat and begin growing unique value products that they could then market with their own brand. It stands as an agricultural business model that will hopefully be replicated throughout Spain.
I now must embarrassingly admit that the most unique product that I brought home from this region has sat on a shelf in my pantry for approximately 2 years. Last week I finally got around to cooking these ancient Catalonian heirloom beans, Mongeta del ganxet. As you can see from the photo, they are medium sized white beans with an extremely pronounced “kidney” shape. As my purpose was to evaluate the taste and texture of the beans, I cooked them very simply in plain water and added salt about 75% of the way through the cooking process. I planned on taking the texture of these beans with a grain of salt (pun intended) as I expected the texture to have deteriorated somewhat due to the fact that I left them on my shelf for the aforementioned two years. The skin of freshly dried beans will typically remain tight when cooked, allowing the meat of the bean to cook evenly until it reaches that creamy custardy state.
Much to my surprise, the texture of the “aged” beans was perfect – a true testament to both the skill of the hard working farmers of the Gallecs region as well as the quality genetics of this most regal heirloom bean. But the taste of these beans truly set it apart. What a rich, earthy bean flavor! Absolutely fantastic.
I am not sure if these beans have been imported and available in the United States yet, but I will certainly keep my eyes open. I suggest everyone doing the same. And by all means if you are traveling to Barcelona and/or Catalonia, I highly recommend purchasing these beans – look for them in specialty shops or farmers markets. Two years later, I hope that the business model has been a success and the beans are easy to find. I for one will not let another 2 years go by before I enjoy the SECOND BAG of Mongeta del ganxetes I brought home!
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