Purple Beans | Pfenning’s Ontario Organic

Description

Purple beans have a mild, subtly sweet, grassy, and earthy flavor suited for raw and cooked preparations. Fresh Purple beans are favored for their two-toned coloring when sliced, as the exterior purple hues are contrasted with the bright green interior. Chefs popularly cut the beans on an angle or slice lengthwise to showcase this coloring and serve as an edible garnish ingredient in salads or grain bowls. Purple beans can also be pickled and used as a tangy condiment or a sandwich spread. In addition to fresh preparations, Purple beans can be blanched or steamed with aromatics and served as a simple accompaniment to main dishes. It is worth noting that the purple coloring will not remain once the beans are cooked over high heat and will develop a green hue. When boiled or blanched, it is also important to shock the beans in an ice bath after heating to prevent the beans from overcooking and becoming mushy. Purple beans can be incorporated into soups, curries, and stews, added to stir-fries, stirred into noodle and rice-based dishes, or cooked with other vegetables as a side dish. Try tossing cooked purple beans in a soy glaze, wrapping small bunches of the beans in bacon as a unique serving method, or coating them in panko bread crumbs and roasting them as a crisp snack. Purple beans pair well with aromatics such as onions, garlic, shallots, and chile peppers, nuts including almonds, pine, and walnuts, herbs such as dill, parsley, and tarragon, and cheeses including parmesan, feta, mozzarella, provolone, and gruyere. Whole, unwashed Purple beans have a short shelf life and should be consumed immediately for the best quality and flavor. The beans can also be kept in a sealed container in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to four days.