Ingredient: Runner beans
Category: Vegetables
Season: August to mid-September
The runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus, Fabaceae) is often called the scarlet runner bean since most varieties have red flowers and multicoloured seeds, though some have white flowers and white seeds.
It differs from the common bean in several respects: the cotyledons stay in the ground during germination, and the plant is a perennial with tuberous roots (though it is usually treated as an annual).
The green pods are edible whole , in some varieties (the scarlet runner) they tend to become fibrous early, and only the seeds within are eaten.
The seeds can be used fresh or as dried beans.
The starchy roots are still eaten by Central American Indians.
The scarlet runner is widely grown for its attractive flowers by people who would never think of eating it.
Runner beans contain traces of a poisonous lectin “Phytohaemagglutinin” and must be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
This species originated from the mountains of Central America .
Phaseolus coccineus subsp. darwinianus is a cultivated subspecies of P. coccineus, it is commonly referred to as the Botil bean in Mexico .
The beans must be harvested young because the whole lot is eaten, pod and all.
Runner beans have, in the recent past, been a misunderstood vegetable, rarely seen in restaurants, even in peak season. The problem is that people rarely know how to prepare and cook them.
To prepare runner beans,
With a sharp paring knife and strip away the stringy bit on the join at either side of each bean.
Feed them through a bean slicer, which should be fixed to the edge of a table, have a plate underneath it to catch the slices.
If you don't have a bean slicer, slice the beans in exactly the same way using a paring knife.
1 lb 8 oz (700 g) of runner beans will serve 4 people.
The briefest cooking time is required, the beans will taste deliciously fresh and green.
Serve with a smidgen of butter and some salt and black pepper.
Varieties:
Scarlet Runner
Aztec Half-Runner, also called "Potato bean"
White Dutch Runner
Case Knife
Black Runner
Painted Lady
Hammond's Dwarf
Lady Di
Pickwick Dwarf
Riley
Scarlet Emperor
Sun Bright
White Lady
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