Corona beans - what to do with them?

My youngest sister sent me a gift of corona beans and white truffle honey from Williams-Sonoma. Honey is a no-brainer when it comes to consumption, but I haven't the foggiest idea about the best way to prepare corona beans. My first thought was to cook with some ham and serve with buttermilk cornbread, for a new take on an old favorite country comfort food. Any alternate suggestions out there?

These Italian beans are very meaty and as I recall, they get larger during cooking. Try this recipe for your first experience with them. I have not tried this recipe......found this on another site and it sounds great.

Corona Beans with Fennel, Olives, Red Peppers, and Lemon Mint Vinaigrette

Serves 8

This has been one of my favorite bean salads for years. I found it in The Versatile Grain and the Elegant Bean by Sheryl and Mel London (1992). It really showcases the meaty flavor of the Corona bean.


Ingredients

1-1/2 cup corona beans, soaked for 4 to 6 hours and drained
Sea salt to taste
½ onion
1 bay leaf
1 clove
½ small bulb of fennel, shaved thinly (1/2 cup)
½ small sweet red pepper, thinly sliced
4 to 5 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup Pasolivo olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint


Directions

1. Add the beans to a 3-quart saucepan with enough water to cover by 3 to 4 inches and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the beans begin to get tender but still have a bite “al dente”. 50 to 60 minutes.

2. Add the salt and let the beans stay in the water to cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Drain and place the beans in a medium-size bowl.

3. Add the fennel, red pepper, and olives.

4. Place the lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk in the olive oil. Add the black pepper and salt to taste..

5. Pour the vinaigrette over the beans, add the mint, stir to combine and serve. (If you are not serving immediately, make sure that you stir again before you serve.)

I gotta ask--what is white truffle honey? It can't be like clover honey or thyme honey (honey made by bees who have been visiting the flowers of those plants), since truffles are an underground fungus. So what gives this honey the "white truffle" designation?

-Paul W.

I gotta ask--what is white truffle honey? It can't be like clover honey or thyme honey (honey made by bees who have been visiting the flowers of those plants), since truffles are an underground fungus. So what gives this honey the "white truffle" designation?

-Paul W.

Look at this link for a simple explanation

http://www.farawayfoods.com/trufflehoney.html

[Jenise]

I've never cooked corona beans, Robert, but I read a description and realize just which beans these must be. I see them in olive bars a lot these days, usually in some kind of tomato-garlic marinade. And I adore them! Anyway, I consulted the Rancho Gordo site on your behalf, no help there. Apparently Gordo doesn't sell this bean--he otherwise has suggestions and recipes for the beans he does sell. Love the looks of the recipe Karen posted for you.

I thought the bean salad looked tasty too, but I haven't yet decided how to proceed with 'em.