French Flageolet Beans with Herbs

I made this fragrant French bean stew for my garden club’s potluck lunch last weekend. The pale green beans held their shape while cooking and produced a creamy broth. I amped up the aroma by cooking these heirloom beans with carrots and then stirring in sautéed red onions, celery, and garlic. The final flavor layer came from fresh herbs, including rosemary from my garden.

I got my flageolets from Rancho Gordo as part of the summer Bean Club package. You may be able to find them in more adventurous grocery stores too. Go ahead and splurge: this délicieux dish costs just $2.15 a serving, using heirloom beans and mostly organic ingredients.

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French Flageolet Beans with Herbs

Creamy French flageolet beans become a fragrant stew when cooked with rosemary, thyme, parsley, and aromatic vegetables. This recipe would also be good with great northern beans or cannellini beans and dried herbs.

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Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

French

Prep Time

30 minutes

Passive Time

2 - 14 hours

Servings

servings MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

• 1 pound flageolet beans picked through and rinsed
• 3 medium carrots chopped
• 6 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1 medium red onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary minced except a few sprigs
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced except a few sprigs
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped except a few sprigs

Course Main Dish Cuisine French Prep Time 30 minutes Passive Time 2 - 14 hours Servings servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients 1 pound flageolet beans picked through and rinsed 3 medium carrots chopped 6 cups water 2 teaspoons salt 3 stalks celery chopped 1 medium red onion chopped 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic minced 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary minced except a few sprigs 2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced except a few sprigs 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped except a few sprigs

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Instructions

1. Put flageolet beans in a slow cooker with water and salt. Cover and allow to soak for up to twelve hours if you have time. This will reduce cooking time by 30 to 45 minutes and result in fewer burst beans. I skipped the soaking and they were fine.
2. Add carrots to beans. Turn the slow cooker on high if you want beans in 3 to 4 hours or low if you want them in about 8 hours.
3. About an hour before you expect the beans to be done, cook celery and onion with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat under tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and then stir the vegetables into the beans.
4. Reserve a few sprigs of the fresh herbs for garnish, then mince rosemary leaves and chop parsley. Thyme leaves tend to be so small that no cutting is needed. Stir all but the garnish into beans and continue cooking until tender. Taste and adjust seasonings. Drain most of the broth to use in soup or another recipe. Transfer beans and a cup or so of broth to a serving dish and top with herb sprigs if desired.
5. Serve French Flageolet Beans hot in a bowl with crusty bread on the side or on their own as a side dish. For variety, serve beans over rice or other hot cooked grain.

   

Recipe Notes

Nutritional Information

Nutrition Facts

French Flageolet Beans with Herbs

Amount Per Serving

Calories 163 Calories from Fat 18

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 2g 3%

Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.1g

Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g

Sodium 396mg 17%

Potassium 34mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 29g 10%

Dietary Fiber 4g 16%

Sugars 0.5g

Protein 10g 20%

Vitamin A 3%

Vitamin C 5%

Calcium 6%

Iron 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.