Borlotti beans - can I eat them green?

[scarey55]

I've been very successful growing Borlotti beans this year (Thanks Wellie luv) and I am thinking of cooking them.

I can't seem to find out if I can eat them when they are green or do I have to wait until they are speckled with red the way they were given to me .

Thank you.

[zazen999]

You can have them:
sliced as green beans [I slice them like runners]
big as white beans [like haricots] [need a few mins boiling]
or
leave to go speckled and have them then [need a few more mins boiling]
or
leave to go completely dry, and have them then. [need overnight soak and then 10-15 or even 20 min boil]

Brill innit!!!

[scarey55]

Ooh, thank you, you're a STAR.

I just knew these were going to be good - they are soo pretty (shallow moi?)
So, it's out into the rain to pick a few to go into the coq au vin sort of thingish.

Thanks again.

[Flummery]

My preferred method is to eat them as shellies - when they are mature enough to produce a bump (pregnant beans?) but don't need the amount of cooking that they do when totally dried. I'm trying this with other types this year.
However, they are very accommodating and will feed you at any stage!

[scarey55]

Pregnant beans, now I like that

[Alison]

I always let mine go dry as I have so many other beans to eat at this time of year - also love the look of them dried in a jar!

[shirlthegirl43]

Can all beans be used all those ways?

[Two_Sheds]

Can all beans be used all those ways?

yep
.
.

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks T_S that means I won't waste the ones I didn't spot while they were still quite small

[Two_Sheds]

I just knew these were going to be good - they are soo pretty (shallow moi?)

Have you tried Yin Yang and Tiger Eye yet? Tres jolie

[Twinsane]

Have you tried Yin Yang and Tiger Eye yet? Tres jolie

OOhh I haven't seen the tigers eye ones before. Anywhere in the UK stock them or are any grapes doing any for a seed swap?

[scarey55]

Have you tried Yin Yang and Tiger Eye yet? Tres jolie

Oooh, no but I will - as you say, they are very pretty. I can see them all together in a Le-Parfait jar just for decoration
Thank you for the suggestion.

Btw, the Borlotti were very good. I haven't been very successful with bored beans so this might be the way forward.

[HayleyB]

I've spent all summer freezing loads as runners and now leaving them to go all the way to shellies but I'll probably freeze them as beanies rather than let them dry - less faffing when it it comes to cooking them