What Are Flageolet Beans?
Flageolet beans are a little-known legume that are most common in French cooking. They are small and grow on bushes in green pods that are about three inches (about seven and a half centimeters) long. The pod that the bean grows in is not edible. The beans themselves are kidney-shaped and, when fresh, range in color from white to pale green. These kinds of beans are very tender and have been referred to as “the caviar of beans”. They have a creamy texture and maintain their texture and flavor well even when they are cooked. Much like the finest caviars, they are not easy to find, especially for people who live in a region where the beans are not grown. In addition to being grown in France, where the beans originate from, they are also grown in some parts of California.
