Purple Baby French Beans
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Baby Purple French beans are a miniature legume with a narrow and elongated shape. These beans measure about 10 to 15 centimeters long because they are harvested before reaching their full length. Baby Purple French beans have small circular indentations where the seeds lie. One end of the beans has a tough woody stem while the other is pointed and slightly curved. Their skin is a dark royal purple-blue color with a smooth and velvety texture. Baby Purple French beans have a vibrant green interior that contains a few small soft seeds or immature beans. This variety has a crisp fleshy texture and a vegetal flavor with a hint of sweetness.
Seasons/Availability
Baby Purple French beans are available from mid-summer through mid-fall.
Current Facts
Baby Purple French beans are botanically classified as Phaseolus vulgaris and belong to the Fabaceae family along with alfalfa, chickpeas, jicama, lentils, peanuts, soybeans, and tamarind. This variety can be grown either as a climbing pole bean or a dwarf bush bean. They come in many colors including green, yellow, cream, or multicolored with flecks. The purple color of Baby Purple French beans comes from plant pigments called anthocyanins. They have a small size because they're harvested before fully maturing. This practice encourages the bean plants to produce multiple crops over the course of one season. Baby Purple French beans are grown both for their decorative flowers and as a culinary plant due to their nutritious produce.
Nutritional Value
Baby Purple French beans are rich in vitamin A that supports healthy vision, skin, and immune function as well as cell growth and repair. The vitamin C in these beans acts as a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from oxidative damage while aiding in iron absorption and collagen production. Baby Purple French beans contain a significant amount of vitamin K to help maintain strong bones by regulating calcium and supporting proper blood clotting crucial for wound healing. The potassium in these vegetables helps regulate blood pressure, supports muscle and nerve function, and maintains fluid balance. Their magnesium content contributes to blood sugar regulation and bone health. These beans are also a great source of fiber to encourage digestion, help manage cholesterol levels, and promote feelings of fullness. The folate in Baby Purple French beans is essential for DNA synthesis, cell division, fetal development during pregnancy, and healthy red blood cell production. These beans should be lightly cooked or consumed raw to receive optimal nutritional benefits.
Applications
Baby Purple French beans may be served raw, steamed, fried, pickled, or sautéed. They lose their color during cooking but blanching them beforehand helps retain both their purple hue and some of their nutritional value. Fresh Baby Purple French beans may be included on a veggie tray or alongside cheese, crackers, and dips for charcuterie boards. Lightly cooked beans are tossed into green, pasta, and potato salads or added last minute when finishing a stir-fry or sauté. These vegetables can be incorporated into dishes traditionally made with green beans and mixed with ingredients like baked chicken, bacon, parmesan cheese, caramelized onions, almonds, roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, and potatoes. Baby Purple French beans also work well in pot pies, casseroles, soups, and stews. These vegetables are complemented by the flavors of lemon, red bell peppers, mushrooms, hazelnuts, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, cream-based sauces, Gorgonzola cheese, roast beef, steak, turkey, teriyaki sauce, maple, and peanuts. Baby Purple French beans can be stored in the refrigerator for 7 to 10 days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Beans played a role in the Hundred Years’ War that occurred in France. At this time the country was plagued by an epidemic that led the people in the old town of Soisson, France to flee the region. They took their crops with them but lost many of their seeds in the process. Once the people returned to Soisson, they noticed that the area was covered in a field of beans. This was largely due to the high humidity on the banks of the Crise River running through Soisson which made it easy to produce a harvest that could feed the whole town.
Geography/History
Baby Purple French beans are a miniature version of a larger-sized purple French heirloom bean that originated in the 17th century. They flourish in temperate and warm climates with high sun exposure and temperatures ranging from 21 to 29 degrees Celcius. They are a cultivated variety that's bred commercially and in home gardens for their unique color and small size. French beans of all colors are an adaptation of the original bean species that originated in Central and South America. Spanish explorers brought this species back to Europe with them and they eventually reached France. These beans were referred to as haricot verts in France and the country became the main European supplier of them in the 16th and 17th centuries. They were soon widely known as French beans and were included in many side dishes of French haute cuisine during the 1900s. Baby Purple French beans are available to purchase as seeds for gardening or at farmers' markets in France and in cities across the globe.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Purple Baby French Beans. One
is easiest, three is harder.| My Carolina Kitchen |
|
Green Bean Salad Dressed with a French Vinaigrette |
| Noob Cook |
|
French Beans with Egg |
| Sailu's Kitchen |
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Beans Pakodi Kura ~ French Beans Fritters Stir Fry |
| Teczcape |
|
French Bean Omelet |
