Category: Shelling Beans
Ribollita (Tuscan Kale and Bean Soup)
This simple but thick and luscious soup is a mainstay of Tuscan cooking and used to be made by re-cooking (ribollire) yesterday's minestrone and simmering it over stale bread in this second incarnation. I make it all in one go, as do many Italians, but it is even better the next day. It takes a while to make unless you are using already cooked beans, but it is worth the time.
Ribollita calls for a modest list of ingredients and the bread and some good olive oil are important. And it's extra good if you have some roasted tomatoes to use, but canned is just fine.
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Pasta with Shelling Beans, Bacon, Tomatoes and Basil
Fresh shelling beans (sometimes called shellies), pancetta, tomatoes, cream and basil stewed together and tossed with fresh, egg tagliatelle or any dry pasta, and topped with Parmesan. It's pretty decadent!
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Shelling Beans with Chard and Lemon Mustard Dressing
Served warm this is a winner of a dish and rich enough to be the main deal when served with a big green salad or some such. You can vary it in many ways--adding herbs, other vegetables, bacon or sausage, etc.
Serves 2-3 as main, 4-5 as side... Read more »
Fresh Shell Beans with Tomatoes
Fresh shell beans (or shellie’s) are available for a short window and have a fragrant, vegetal nature that fades as the beans dry. You need the acidity of the tomatoes, either fresh, as pictured, or cooked in as noted in the variation below. If you don't have tomatoes, add a splash of vinegar to the beans at the end of the cooking time. ... Read more »
About: Shelling Beans
Fresh shelling beans, or shellies, are such a treat and have a fairly small window of availability in late summer/early fall. They are the fully developed beans and most of the crop will be dried for future use but many farmers sell some of the beans in this fresh state. They don't need soaking and cook in about 30 minutes or less. They have an exceptional subtle fragrance and creaminess. They are delicious in soups and stews or as a simple side dish, braised with a little garlic and tomato and maybe a bit of bacon.
Shelling beans keep for a week or so in paper or plastic bag in the refrigerator. Depending on how dry the pods are they may start getting brown spots after a few days. Be careful not to let them spoil. You can also shell them and freeze them for future use.
The most common shelling bean is probably the cranberry bean (pictured above). You may also encounter pinto beans in this form as well as borlotti beans.... Read more »
