My love affair with fresh shell beans started at a farm stand piled high with borlotti bean pods. Bringing sacks of them home, I split each pod open to pop out the pretty pink and white beans—about a cup’s worth for every pound of pods.
Simmered in salted water, the fresh beans took only 30 minutes to cook to creamy tenderness (!) So quick, compared with the overnight soaks and long cook times necessary with dried beans. Add to this their mildly nutty flavor and good protein content (15 grams per cup) and you’ll understand why I fill my vegetable-packed minestrone with fresh shelled borlotti beans whenever I get the chance.
Fresh shell beans are in peak season late summer through fall, but grocery stores may randomly have them fresh (and frozen) at other times of the year. Beyond borlotti (which are also known as cranberry beans,) the shell bean family includes other velvety varieties: lima, and cannellini, for example, which would also work well in this satisfyingly nutritious soup. And if you can’t find these beans fresh, canned will also work as a substitute. Continue Reading…