I first encountered Rancho Gordo beans a few years ago during a visit to San Francisco. I was meandering through the Ferry Building when I came upon their shop. There was a giant tub of dried beans inviting passersby to run their hands through them, so I obliged. I began to peruse the shelves and couldn't help taking home a bag of big, beautiful royal corona beans. This corona bean and sausage cassoulet was the first recipe I made with them and it's one I come back to every year as soon as the weather is cool enough to run the oven for a few hours. I love to make it on a Sunday for dinner and have leftovers for lunch the rest of the week. I hope it will become one of your favorites. Don't be surprised if it makes you an heirloom bean convert too.

A note on bean soaking - there are many different schools of thought here. I use one of two methods. If I remember ahead of time, I'll dump the dried beans into a bowl, cover with water by a couple of inches, and soak in the fridge for several hours or overnight. If I don't remember to soak, I'll use the "power soak". To power soak, place the dried beans in a large pot and cover with water by a couple of inches. Bring the beans to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Then remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for one hour. Some people will swear allegiance to one method or another. I say do what works best for you.

Corona Bean and Sausage Cassoulet (Adapted from Bon Appetit)

3 cups dried corona beans (or other large bean), soaked and drained

4 tbsp olive oil

6 spicy Italian sausage links (I like the chicken variety from Whole Foods)

1 large leek, sliced in to 1/4 in rounds

1 small onion, finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp smoked paprika

3 cups chicken broth

1 28oz can whole tomatoes, preferably fire roasted

7 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs rosemary

2 cups panko bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

Place beans in a large pot and add water to cover by a few inches. Simmer the beans, partially covered, until they are just beginning to be tender, 1 1/2-2 hours. Set aside 1 cup of bean broth from the pot then drain.

Preheat oven to 450°. Heat 2 tbsp oil in the same pot used for the beans over medium. Sear the sausages until they are browned on all sides. They do not need to be cooked through but you want to get plenty of color on the outside. Remove sausages to a plate and set aside.

Add leek and onion to the same pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, tomato paste and paprika and stir to combine. Continue stirring until the tomato paste begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Add the bean broth, chicken broth, beans, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary and bring to a boil.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. (At this point the beans should be very tender. If your beans are not tender, continue baking until they are) Slice each sausage into 3-4 pieces and add to pot, pressing to submerge. Bake for an additional 40 minutes.

Place panko breadcrumbs in a small bowl, drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Remove herb sprigs and bay leaves from the cassoulet. Sprinkle panko in an even layer over the cassoulet and bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.