I grew and tasted borlotto beans for the first time last year, they climbed in perfect harmony with my munchkin pumpkins up the archway and rewarded me with 2 large jars full of delicious beans. This year however, is a different story and I can assure you that these beans won’t last very long in our house!
I’ll admit that I have never tasted these beans fresh from the pods, I prefer to let them dry out completely so they can be stored and added to dishes throughout the Winter. In fact we’re still eating the dried borlotto beans that I harvested last year! The beans are very easy to dry out, I tend to leave them on the plant until the pods have dried and then later bring them indoors to completely dry out on the windowsill. They can then be shelled, stored in jars for up to 4 years and added to casseroles, soups and stews throughout the year. They are a key ingredient in one of my favourite dishes, butternut squash and bean curry, and I just adore them.
I’m hoping next year I’ll have a bigger harvest of beans, the more the merrier and because they store for so long that means none go to waste. I just can’t get enough of them and I’m so glad that I experimented with growing them for the first time. Sometimes its good to try growing and eating new vegetables, you’ll never know if you like something until you try it after all!