Black beans

[Odsox]

Any (polite) ideas what I can do with black beans ?

I grow Fasholt climbing French beans and have done for many years now. It's perfect for what I want, it grows well from early spring, sets pods almost immediately after it germinates, behaves itself and the beans are the best flavoured ones I've tried.
But when the runner beans start they're left to their own devices, so they sets loads of pods which then mature and about this time of year I have all these black haricot beans. A few get taken out of the jar in the new year to start the whole process over again, but the vast majority stay in the jar and eventually get cooked up for the chicken.

The problem is they taste quite nice but look disgusting when cooked as the black skins colour the whole lot a very unappetising bluish grey. They would be alright if I could skin them, but that's seemingly impossible until they are cooked, and then it's too late.
Just seems a shame to use them as chicken food.

[diggernotdreamer]

Well, in some parts of the world, it is quite acceptable to eat the black beans and make them into a bean dish with the dark coloured gravy they make, I guess we are just not into eating food that colour.

[Flo]

How do you plan to cook them - can you do them separately and then blend in at the end?

And why is free chicken food a waste?

[Odsox]

How do you plan to cook them - can you do them separately and then blend in at the end?

And why is free chicken food a waste?

Yes I cook them separately, otherwise they would be either under or over cooked if with other beans, and if in a casserole they need a fast boil to steam off the toxins and then at least parboiled.
After starting this thread I wondered about using them instead of white haricots in my baked beans, the tomato puree should dilute the colour somewhat.

I never said giving them to the chicken is a "waste" Flo, I said it is a "shame", as in good nutritious food not being made use of. The chicken get plenty anyway, all the cooked up potato peelings and outside cabbage leaves, plus their oddly strange favourite of tomato skins and seeds from the passata maker waste.

[Odsox]

Well, in some parts of the world, it is quite acceptable to eat the black beans and make them into a bean dish with the dark coloured gravy they make, I guess we are just not into eating food that colour.

I don't think I would mind if they were truly black, but they're a pale bluish grey, and I can't think of anyone bar starving people who would find grey food inviting.
Even Chinese Black Bean Sauce is not grey.

[diggernotdreamer]

yuk grey sauce is horrid, I think the Mexican dish I was looking at, the beans are cooked with all the other ingredients in one pan so the resultant sauce is black rather than grey, but maybe they use a different variety of bean

[Green Aura]

We eat black beans regularly. I love them. They're really tasty (and that's from someone for whom pulses wouldn't be first on any menu). I cook a big batch at a time (of dried obviously) then freeze them in portion sizes. They're great for salads, in wraps, in chillies. They go particularly well with sweetcorn and make fab veggie burgers. You can also use them for making sweet things such as fudge, brownies, cakes etc.
Do you want some specific recipes, odsox, or just ideas?

[Green Aura]

Oh and I forgot to mention they go really well with quinoa, so you've grown yourself a South American meal.

[Odsox]

Do you want some specific recipes, odsox, or just ideas?

What I really want is someone to tell me how to avoid/mask the disgusting grey colour.
However you have reminded me one thing I can make and that is fudge. You posted a recipe years ago and it's very nice and I think the cocoa would certainly overpower the grey colour. Now that Thorntons have stopped making diabetic chocolates I could make some for Christmas.
I'll also try them with quinoa and see if you are right

[fruitfly]

Could you cook them in as little water as possible, thus making the colour of beans and water less insipid looking, then add something with colour, or food colouring to make it more purple or brown or something... or, with the least amount of water, it won't be such a waste to chuck it, then you can put the beans in another sauce;

[Green Aura]

I should have mentioned long before that I soak my beans, well-covered with water and a good splash (2 tbsp-ish) of either lemon juice or vinegar, for at least 8 hours. They cook a lot faster and, although they do lose some colour, they certainly aren't grey - more a dark purpley brown.

[Odsox]

fab veggie burgers.

Do you want some specific recipes, odsox, or just ideas?

Actually veggie burgers sounds quite nice, especially as you expect burgers to be dark coloured, so yes please to a recipe.

Last year's crop were all canned in portion sizes which worked well. The canning process softened the skins to a non-existent texture, but they're still grey.
No hurry for the recipe as I have none left now, apart from the saved seed that will soon be sown to start all this off again.

[Green Aura]

Spicy Mexican-style black bean burgers

1/2 red pepper
1 small onion
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaf
2-3 cloves garlic
1 egg
1 tbsp cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
1 chilli, dried or fresh - whatever type you like
500g cooked black beans, roughly mashed
large handful oats, adjust depending on size of egg

Finely chop (or blitz in food processor) first eight ingredients. Add to mashed beans and mix thoroughly. Add sufficient oats to make a fairly moist mix that holds its shape. Fry a tiny portion to check seasoning and adjust if necessary. Divide into 4-8 burgers (depending how big you like them). Fry in oil, or mix a tbsp or two of oil into the burger mix and bake. Serve with bun, hot sauce, guacamole, and any other trimmings you like.

Edit - These are fairly forgiving, you can add other veg/seasonings, replace the oats with breadcrumbs etc. Once you've sussed the right texture everything else can be varied really.

[Odsox]

Thanks for that, I will print it out for later in the year.
I think I will omit the chilli though

[bonniethomas06]

Have never thought of making my own veggie burgers so thanks G.A, I will give this a shot, it will make a nice change.