Reprinted with permission from Alison
Roman's incredible new book, Something from Nothing (Ten Speed Press, 2025).

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ small head (about 1½pounds)cabbage, cut into 1-inch wedges
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
3 cups cooked, drained Rancho Gordo Large White Lima beans or other large white beans
8 ounces tomatoes, preferably small, halved if small, quartered or chopped if large
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, or white distilled vinegar
A hunk of Parmesan cheese for grating on top, ricotta for spooning over, or feta for crumbling
(optional)
Serves 4

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet (preferably oven-safe) over medium heat. Add the cabbage, cut-side down, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, without disturbing or peeking, until the cabbage is deeply golden brown on one side, 8–10 minutes. Using tongs or a fish spatula, carefully flip and repeat on the other side, another 8–10 minutes.
3. Once the cabbage is well browned on both sides, add the shallots and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring or shaking the skillet occasionally to make sure the shallots can make contact with the pan, until they are nicely browned and totally tender, 5–7 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the beans in a 1½- to 2-quart baking dish. Once the cabbage and shallots are nicely browned and tender, add them to the baking dish, along with the tomatoes, vinegar, and 1 cup water. Season well with salt and pepper and rearrange the goods, adjusting some of the wedges of cabbage and pieces of tomato so that they make their way to the top. (They will get so delicious in the oven.)
5. Place in the oven and bake until the liquid has reduced by quite a bit, everything is bubbling up the sides of the dish in a sticky, caramelized way, and the top is delightfully browned, bordering on crisp, 50–60 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve with or without cheese.

Here's an example of a simple dish you can elevate with a pantry staple: pickled chiles. You can pickle any sturdy vegetable, and have them ready for when inspiration hits.

For the pickled chiles:
1 cup distilled white vinegar, rice vinegar,
or pineapple vinegar, plus more as needed
1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
1 bay leaf
1/2
teaspoon dried Mexican oregano,
preferably Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 sprig thyme or marjoram
2 teaspoons sea salt
10 jalapeño chiles, stems removed, sliced
For the bean dip:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2
of a white onion, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, depending on taste, minced, or Rancho Gordo Felicidad Chopotle Sauce, to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, preferably
Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio
3 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Midnight Black beans, plus 1/2 cup bean broth
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 cups grated Queso Chihuahua or Fontina cheese
Chopped fresh cilantro and onion for garnish
Thick tortilla chips for serving

Serves 4 to 6

To make the pickled chiles: In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the white vinegar, water, bay leaf, oregano, garlic, thyme, and salt. Bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
In a medium glass or ceramic bowl, combine the chile slices with the vinegar mixture. Add more vinegar and water in equal parts, as needed, to cover the chiles. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, chipotle, cumin, and oregano, and cook, stirring, for another minute or so.
Add the beans, bean broth, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine. At this point, you can mash the beans in the pan, or leave them whole. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top then bake until the cheese has melted, about
10 minutes. Top with cilantro, onion, and pickled chiles.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Pardina lentils are used in all kinds of dishes in Spain, including Lentejas, a rustic stew that has become a national dish. This version is more of a braise than a stew, but you can easily adjust the amount of liquid depending on your preference. You could also use Spanish chorizo in place of the Serrano ham, or leave the meat out altogether!

1/2 pound dried Rancho Gordo Pardina Lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
4 ounces Serrano ham, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Spanish pimentón, such as Rancho Gordo Castillo Pimentón
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or more,
depending on your preference)
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Serves 4 to 6

Check the lentils carefully for debris, and rinse thoroughly. Because of the size and color of these lentils, pebbles and other natural debris may remain despite our best efforts to sort them before packaging.

Place in a pot and add enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a full boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, using a lid to help regulate the heat, and gently cook until done,
25 to 35 minutes. Strain and set aside, reserving the cooking liquid.
In a wide, shallow pan over a medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic, onion, and carrot and cook until softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the Serrano ham and cook for another 5 or so minutes.

Stir in the pimentón, tomatoes, and wine and simmer, stirring, until the mixture cooks down into a thick sauce, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir the lentils into the sauce with about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and the stock. If you prefer a stewier dish, you can add more lentil-cooking liquid or stock.

Season to taste with vinegar, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the lentils are heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.

Garnish with parsley.

Nearly every culture has its own way of preparing beans and rice. Congrí is similar to Moros y Cristianos, but the beans are cooked with the rice, rather than separating them on the plate. It has deep roots in Cuban cuisine—especially in eastern Cuba—shaped by Caribbean and African influences, with strong ties to Haiti. It can be made with red or black beans, and a variety of meats and seasonings.

1 pound uncooked Rancho Gordo Rojo de Suelo, Domingo Rojo, or Midnight Black beans
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 pound bacon, chopped (or 2 tablespoons oil if not using bacon)
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced 1 red bell pepper, diced
¼ cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups uncooked Rancho Gordo California White Rice, rinsed well
2 cups reserved bean broth

Serves 6 to 8

Check beans for debris, and rinse thoroughly. In a large pot, combine beans and enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a full boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, using a lid to help regulate the heat, and gently cook until done, 1 to 3 hours. Salt when the beans start to soften.

While the beans are cooking, make the sofrito. If using bacon, in a large pot over medium-low heat, gently cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and bacon is cooked through, about 10 minutes. You should have about 2 tablespoons fat. If there is less, add oil as needed. If you are not using bacon, add 2 tablespoons oil to the pot.

Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers; cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the bell peppers are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the white wine and cook over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the wine has evaporated. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Once the beans have cooked, drain them, reserving the bean broth.
To the pot with the sofrito, add the oregano, cumin, rice, and beans. Gently stir, then add

2 cups of the reserved bean broth and 1 cup of water. Place over high heat and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow to cook for 20 minutes, untouched.

Uncover, fluff the rice with a fork, and check for seasonings. Serve.

Tanya Holland is one of our favorite chefs and we appreciate the fresh tweaks she gives to classic dishes. This chowder is inspired by one she
created. We love the richness from the half-and-half, but you could always leave it out.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio or Mexican Oregano
1 bay leaf
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Scarlet Runner beans, plus 1 cup bean broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grated zest from 1 lemon
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Makes 4 servings

In a large pot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the stock, oregano, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the potatoes and simmer until soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and the beans. Add the bean broth and additional stock, if desired. Return to a simmer. (After adding the half-and-half, do not allow the chowder to boil.) Season with salt and pepper and stir in the lemon zest. Garnish with parsley.

1 large bunch broccolini (about 1 pound),
woody stems trimmed
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (optional)
2 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Zipper Cream Peas, with a little broth
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh lemon juice to taste

Serves 2 to 4

Preheat the oven (or toaster oven) to 350°F.

Cut the broccolini into thirds, then spread it out on a baking sheet and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt. Roast the broccolini, shaking the pan often, until tender, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or other ovenproof skillet over medium-low heat, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and sauté until the garlic is fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the chicken (if using) and Zipper Cream Peas and cook, stirring gently, to heat through. Add the broccolini. Stir gently to combine.

Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon.