Beans shelled from their pods are not just a casserole crop – they are highly versatile, particularly if you grow different varieties yourself. First you have the opportunity to use them freshly shelled, like peas, when they have just plumped out but before they are dried. They are rarely found like this in the UK markets, although they are sold in other countries, for example as ‘shelly beans’ in the US. They are less mealy than their dried counterparts and much quicker to prepare and cook, and their fresher flavour makes them good cooked and cold in salads, for example, or in a medley of autumn vegetables.
If you dry them, they store well over winter. Before cooking, soak them for a few hours or overnight. Drain off the water…