One-half pound of organically grown fresh shelled beans. Right now we have three varieties available: Multicolored Butterbeans, Whippoorwill Crowder Peas, & mixed Black and Pink Eye Peas.
Because these beans have been harvested fresh, instead of allowing them to dry, the nutty flavor is so much better and they require just a quick rinse before cooking---no soaking at all! We've also done the hard work for you by shelling them! Truly fresh shelled beans used to be a common treat for dinner, but they've become increasingly hard to find over the last few decades. Give them a try, and we're confident you'll be coming back for more! (NOTE: The beans often transfer color onto each other, so don’t be concerned about black, blue, purple, red, or orange splotches that look like dye!) See below for cooking and storing tips!
COOKING TIPS: When you're ready to cook them, rinse well and if any have started to mold just discard the affected beans. The stove top cooking method is said to require anywhere from 30-45 min of boiling. We're always short on time, ourselves, so we cheat and cook them in the microwave in an XL glass measuring "cup". Here's what we do: Add the beans, a pinch or two of salt, and enough water so it's about 1"-2" higher than the beans. (Some beans always float, ignore them.) Cook on high for about 8 minutes, or until it starts to boil. Stir well, then reduce the heat to med-high and continue cooking in 2 minute increments, stirring each time, until they've reached your preferred texture. It generally takes us about 15 minutes, but we don't mind them being a little firm.
STORAGE TIPS: These beans don't have an especially long shelf life. If you find you won't be able to use them within 2-3 days, you can simply freeze them! Spread them out on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer until they've frozen solid. Then transfer them into a mason jar or ziploc bag for longer term freezer storage. (I'd double the ziploc bag if storing for more than a month or two.)
