Brown beans

[SarrissUK]

When I went back to Sweden to see my family at Christmas, my sister asked if there was anything in particular I would like to eat. Two dishes immediately came to mind:
1. Cured bellypork, sliced and fried with onion sauce
2. Brown beans with the same bellypork.

I got my wish and we had it twice while I was there. Both these dishes are real traditional meals, in the same vein as pea and ham soup (we do the yellow slit pea soup too).

I can't remember anyone ever making it from scratch - we'd buy it in plastic sausage shaped packs. My dad didn't like it, so we never got the brown beans much at home, but I always enjoyed them at school.

So, I have looked into this, and it turns out what we call 'brown beans' are called common bean here... latin name is Phaseolus_vulgaris, but I'm guessing there's a lot of varieties within that latin name.

Have you ever seen these? Tried to grow them?


They are used to make this, with the help of sugar, vinegar and starch:


Well, my family sent me a box for my birthday! I'm so chuffed! I will use some to try and create that traditional dish... and I will definitely grow some! They grow in Sweden, which has a shorter growing season than we do, so I think that's a good sign, right?

I'd love to hear if any of you have seen, or grown them before!

[veggiechicken]

https://www.oland.se/en/the-swedish-brown-bean

[SarrissUK]

Yes that's it! Öland is the island on the east coast of Sweden that is now has EU protected status for their brown beans - those are the ones I have a box of

[Scarlet]

This is worth a read : https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/recipes...nd_brown_bean)

There are 4 brown beans - Stella, Karin, Katja and Bonita

[Snadger]

They look like climbing French beans I grow.

Are they a bush type or climber?


The only legume that my Gran used to add vinegar to was Carlings, on Carlign Sunday.

https://www.cooksinfo.com/carling-sunday

[Babru]

I love all sorts of beans and legumes, my favourite food. Some beans are not much good up here e.g. French beans. My dad, who was a top veg grower couldn't grow them and thought our season was too short and the weather not warm enough.

I would LOVE to grow a bean that is happy with a short season, and Sweden must be short, though maybe warmer than Scotland.

I've been looking at lupin beans, though out of stock just now. https://www.realseeds.co.uk/lupins.html

[SarrissUK]

PM me your address Babru, I'll send you a few to try

Btw, how far apart do I need to grow the different types of beans I'm growing this year, so that they don't cross pollinate too much?

How exciting - I'm really going back to my deep Swedish roots, so deep that I can't recall anyone in my family ever even cooking these from dry beans. Really cool!

[Babru]

Thank you very much! I've emailed you Sarriss.

[Derbydal]

are these beans same as the field beans that are grown as green manure ? if so iv'e enough to sow a 25 square mtr area ! atb Dal.

[Teds Mum]

I have enough beans but I just can't help myself. Didn't find any like yours but did find this site https://www.beansandherbs.co.uk/unus...oom-bean-seed/
A couple of which fell into my shopping basket.

[Scarlet]

I've used those s few times - they have lovely bean selections and have their own little business and grow their beans in their own garden which they sometimes open up for visitors. I much prefer buying from someone like them than the big boys.