Mush!

[Florence Fennel]

I bought some dried butter beans to add to carrot soup, followed the instructions on the bean packet to soak then boil and they went to mush! Any ideas why? I'll buy a tin next time - they're cheaper.

[Alison]

Don't know but am suspicious that the dried were more expensive than tinned ones as it's generally very much the other way around. Were they a special quick cook variety (hence the higher price?) as I do exactly as you do and only use tinned for times I'm in a rush or forget to soak.

[Florence Fennel]

They were triple the price of tinned Alison and not quick cook. Soak overnight, boil for 10 minutes, simmer for 40 minutes until just tender. The only thing I might have got wrong is that I shelled them before cooking? Do you GYO?

[Alison]

I grow borlottis and large runners but not butter beans (not sure of what variety they are to grow). Have bought them dried and they've been really cheap but never shelled them (wouldn't have thought that was easy to do) just soaked overnight and made sure I don't boil the hell out of them when cooking. They can fall apart easier than bolotti but I've not had mush. Suspect the shelling might be significant.

[Florence Fennel]

Thanks Alison, I shelled them because after soaking, the outer shell was peeling off and I didn't fancy the bits in the soup! As it turned out, I didn't get any beans either They were like broad beans to shell - I had some of them pinging all over the kitchen as I popped them out, so it gave me a giggle) It says on the packet they can be used as an alternative to mashed potato and mine certainly could, no mashing necessary

[Florence Fennel]

Spagna Bianco according to an old 2008 thread on here - a type of lima bean apparently. Well, you learn something new every day

[Zelenina]

Butter beans are confusing because they can be either white Lima beans or white runner beans. The Limas are usually from hotter countries e.g. parts of the USA. Butter beans from Europe or Canada are more likely to be runners. Spagna Bianco are in fact runner beans, not Limas. You can usually tell by the shape as Limas are generally flatter than runners. Which kind they are and where they are imported from might affect the price and cooking method. And I think they are supposed to taste different.

[Florence Fennel]

Whatever they are, they're on my on line shopping this week from Tezzies - 4 tins for a pound

[Nicos]

Yey...I'll be in there on Wednesday....guess what I'll be buying?!!!

[Florence Fennel]

Henderson's Relish? Baked Beans? Paint? Smarties?

[Nicos]

Nah...Butter beans!!

[Alison]

Still don't understand the price comparison thing, looked in the supermarket at lunchtime and the a full bag of dried was about the price of two cans but would have made up several times that many when soaked and cooked. All very mysterious