Topic: runner bean seeds

[claybasket]

Has anyone ever saved the runner bean seed when dryed out and ate then? in stews and things I know you can do this with french type beans ,but Ive never heard anyone doing the eating dryed R/bean ? I keep thinking there has to be a reason maybe they are poisoned! 

[Flighty]

There's this previous thread on the subject, there may well be others.

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=35348.0

[goodlife]

Yes, I eat them and enjoy them too..more than having runners as green beans.
Because not many usually eat as 'baked/soup' beans..I have pleasure to go around allotments collecting people's beans and drying them off...all FREE 
They have nice almost meaty texture and being so big, you won't need many on plate to have your fill.
When cooking them, after giving them 15 mins of 'rapid boil' to get rid of toxins, you need to simmer them very gently until cooked soft or they go into mush..other wise use them as any other 'soak' bean.
It is quite British thing to eat runner as green beans..for rest of the world 'runners' are often grown for their edible seeds rather than pods.
If you've 'heard' us to talk about Giganda beans...they type of white runnerbean that are particularly good for their BIG bean seeds.

[peanuts]

You can also eat all seeds of the overgrown runner beans that always seem to escape attention - just slit the bean along the side and take out the   big seed inside.  These can be eaten fresh after cooking, and they don't need that much cooking either.  It isn't like eating them after they've been dried.  You can also freeze these fresh bean seeds for adding to soups later.  Again they then don't need the long cooking that dried ones do.
Here in SW France I grow English runner beans, but also  the local climbing variety  that look like short runner beans but are only grown for the bean seed inside.  The red flowered ones produce purple seeds, the white flowers produce white beans, and the two-coloured flowers (red and white) produce  beautiful speckled brown and white seed!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Some of the red flowered ones (Black Magic for instance) have seeds such a deep purple they're effectively black.

[claybasket]

Thank you guys for all your knowledge on the R/beans ,I haven't been on the sight for a wee while so I missed the R/bean thread Flighty thanks for letting me know,i won't be dumping the overgrown beans anymore

[okra]

If they have dried out completely -  a night in soak does the trick before putting in a casserole or stew

[artichoke]

Yes, here is another who walks round our plots asking if I can pick other people's tough pods, which they never use. I love them in soups and stews, and also use them as fresh seed for the next year. I don't care what variety they are, and they always grow energetically.

[goodlife]

Yes, here is another who walks round our plots asking if I can pick other people's tough pods, which they never use. I love them in soups and stews, and also use them as fresh seed for the next year. I don't care what variety they are, and they always grow energetically.

 ..ahh..nice to know I'm not only 'odd ball'. I get sniggered at (in a nice way)..as I'm gaining reputation of being the one on lottie who eat  and grow 'all sorts'.
Why to bother buying 'red kidney beans' for chilli con carne when there is enough beans growing and thrown away every year on plots to feed most of the town...runnerbean seeds are just bigger and with different colour skin..otherwise they do the same 'job'.

[Paulines7]

I am a bit confused reading this thread as to whether or not the beans have toxins in them! 

I assume, from what has been written, that when the beans are still fresh, they just need cooking but if they have dried out, they need soaking overnight to soften and get rid of toxins.  Is my interpretation correct please?   

[goodlife]

All bean seeds have the toxins..but in dry ones they are consentrated and 'locked' in their beany 'flesh'...so dry beans need soaking up first to blump the 'flesh' up again and then given rapid boil for 10-15 mins to release the toxins after which they are slowly cooked until ready..that apply ALL dried beans.
Fresh beans being soft already, they only need quick cooking as they will readily release those toxins.

[Paulines7]

Thanks Goodlife.  Although I do soak any dry beans to soften them, I was under the impression that it was only kidney beans that were toxic!  I have never given any dry beans a rapid boil though so it is a wonder we haven't all been poisoned over the years.  :rolleyes:

[Digeroo]

And I believe that you should throw away the water they are soaked in.