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SEASONAL BEANS Growing drying beans from New World species is dirfficult to do in the UK, certainly at any kind of scale. Each year we have very limited quantities of some special rare beans from a handful of growers. This year we'll probably only have these borlotti.

We bother to try growing tricky beans every year because we think it should be possible to develop systems that will work for smaller scale farmers in the UK. We're just not there yet. We also think that as the climate changes crops like this will become easier to grow and a more important part of resilient systems. But things aren't quite bad enough yet... And we bother because these beans, thoughtfully grown and carefully harvested, are absolutely delicious.

These borlotti beans are a multi-purpose bean that can be harvested as a green pod to be eaten as a vegetable, as semi-dry beans for quick cooking and as dry storing beans. In the UK borlotti are often grown as a French bean, and sometimes to be eaten semi-dry, but much more rarely for drying, though doing so is increasingly feasible. The beans are at their most nutritious when fully dry, they hold their shape when cooked and add a creamy depth to soups and stews or when blended for dips.

These borlotti beans have been grown for us by Greengrow workers’ co-operative
at Berry Farm, Suffolk. Berry Farm is a small, co-operatively owned and managed mixed holding in Suffolk’s Waveney Valley. The farm is dedicated to social, environmental and economic sustainability. Improving the farm’s ecology and sharing its beauty with visiting school and educational groups is as important to the farm as growing high quality seasonal food. Though not certified as organic, the farm works to organic and permaculture principles.

Complete Product Details

  • Cooking instructions

    Soak the beans for 6 hours. Cover with water or stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 30 to 50 minutes until the beans are soft. Add more water if needed.

    Notes on Cooking Dried Pulses

    Cooking times for dried pulses will be longer at higher altitudes and when cooking with hard water or older pulses.

    Adding bicarbonate of soda during soaking and/or cooking will soften the pulses and reduce the cooking time.

    Cooked pulses can be used immediately or frozen for later use.

  • Ingredients

    Beans
    May contain occasional small stones

    Allergy information

    No Allergens

  • Typical values
    (for generic Phaseolus beans)
    Per 100g
    Energy 1,427kJ (341kcal)
    Fat 1.4g
    of which saturates 0.4g
    Carbohydrate 46g
    of which sugars 2.1g
    Fibre 16g
    Protein 22g
    Salt 0g
  • A rare variety of Phaseolus bean.

    Grown in the UK.

    Suitable for vegans and vegetarians.