How could I resit these beautiful beans? I found them at the farmer’s market and had to give them a try. The farmer selling them told me they are called Tongues of Fire because of their pink shells and described them as a mixture of fresh summer beans (think green beans) and dried winter beans. They are semi-dried, so they need to be cooked, but not for very long.
After admiring their beautiful shells long enough I got to work shucking the beans. They were surprisingly easy to peel given their pliable skin. I ended up with a nice basket of beans.
After reading a bit online about cooking fresh beans I decided to make a salad. I boiled the beans with salt until tender (about 20 minutes) and tossed them with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. I ended up with a beautiful and delicious salad. I enjoyed eating it warm for dinner and cold the next day for lunch.
I really enjoyed these beans and would definitely make them again. There was something very satisfying about eating the beans fresh. They had a lovely light flavor and a rich texture. Although you could use these beans in any type of bean recipe, I liked eating them with simple ingredients so they really stood out.
I use these beans only in a European soup my Italian mother in law taught me how to make soon after marrying her son. Very involved to make but worth every bite!