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Black Coco shelling beans are encased in long, slender pods that average about 13 centimeters in length. These pods start off with a bright, grassy green hue and mature to a banana yellow tone. There may be brown spots speckled across the pods once they turn yellow. Black Coco shelling bean pods are smooth and soft with bumpy indentations where the beans reside. They usually contain 5 to 6 medium-sized beans with an ovate to round shape that can be slightly curved. These black beans are connected to the pod by a tiny fragment of flesh that creates an eye in each bean once removed. The beans have a glossy and smooth texture. When cooked, they take on a swollen, dense, and meaty consistency with a nutty flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Black Coco shelling beans are available from mid-summer to early fall.
Current Facts
Black Coco shelling beans, botanically classified as Phaseolus vulgaris, belong to the Fabaceae family. Like other beans in this family, they can be harvested when immature for fresh eating or left to fully mature and used as shelling beans. This variety is a bush bean, characterized by a compact, self-supporting growth pattern that reaches up to 60 centimeters in height and does not require trellises or stakes. As the beans ripen, the cottony flesh of the pod loses moisture, allowing them to loosen easily. Once dried, Black Coco shelling beans continue to shrink and harden as they age.
Nutritional Value
Like most varieties of black beans, Black Coco shelling beans are nutrient-dense legumes that provide the body with vitamins A and B. These vitamins play a role in immune, nerve, and brain function, vision and skin health, infection defense, energy production, cell metabolism, and mood regulation. They contain calcium, which is important for maintaining strong bones and teeth. The folate and magnesium content in Black Coco shelling beans are important for reproductive and emotional health, calcium absorption, muscle contraction, and reducing stress. The iron in these beans helps with oxygen transport and supports overall vitality. They are also rich in potassium, aiding in heart health and maintaining proper fluid balance, while their high protein and fiber content encourages muscle repair, digestive health, and satiety.
Applications
Black Coco shelling beans can be simmered, sautéed, fried, or braised. They are often used in soup recipes with vegetables, lentils, and meats. When simmered in a clay or iron pot, they require only water and mirepoix to enhance their natural flavors. Black Coco shelling beans can mixed into pasta, incorporated in salads, added to casseroles, or paired with Mexican dishes like tacos and burritos. When immature, they can be used as a snap bean and prepared similarly to romano beans. Complimentary pairings include tomatoes, corn, chiles, garlic, oregano, parsley, cilantro, leeks, pork, roasted fish, curry, vinegar, and olive oil. Mature beans should always be cooked prior to eating. To store, keep fresh Black Coco shelling beans refrigerated and use within four to five days.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Black Coco shelling beans may be a relative of the renowned White Coco bean, or le Coco de Paimpol, the first fresh vegetable to obtain a protected appellation d'origine contrôlée status in France. This status is only awarded to products cultivated within specific regions, guaranteeing the quality and authenticity of the production methods used. Initially, France favored white beans and resisted darker varieties, such as Black Coco shelling beans, due to their tendency to bleed color onto other ingredients during cooking. Coco de Paimpol beans became a popular export from Brittany, France, and are now cultivated in the district of Côtes-d´Armor. These beans are still harvested by hand by thousands of pickers who manually separate each pod from their stems.
Geography/History
The exact origins of Black Coco shelling beans is not known, but they likely came from the Rio Coco region of Nicaragua and Honduras and were brought to France through trade routes between the Americas and Europe. It wasn’t until the mid-1900s when recipes for black bean soup began appearing in notable cookbooks that they gained popularity. Eventually, this variety was established as a valued crop in French cuisine. Black Coco shelling beans thrive in warm, sunny climates with no risk of frost. As a cultivated variety, they are not found in the wild. Outside of France, Black Coco shelling beans are relatively rare and primarily sown as home garden beans or grown for farmers' markets.
Two Peas In a Pod
Black Coco Shelling Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco beans develop in pods that start green and turn yellow with maturity, often featuring brown spots. Typically housing 5 to 6 medium-sized, glossy beans, the pods are soft with slight indentations. The beans become moist and meaty with a nutty flavor when cooked, perfect for hearty dishes.
Two Peas in a Pod
Black Coco Shelling Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco Shelling Beans: Black Coco shelling beans are versatile and can be prepared simmered, sautéed, fried, or braised. They pair well with vegetables, lentils, meats, and are perfect for soups. Their flavor can be enhanced simply with mirepoix and water when cooked in a clay or iron pot. Mature beans must be cooked before eating, while immature beans can be used as snap beans.
2 Peas In a Pod
Black Coco Shelling Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco Shelling Beans: These beans, belonging to Phaseolus vulgaris, are bush beans that grow up to 60 cm tall and don't need stakes or trellises. They can be eaten fresh when immature or dried as they mature into shelling beans. Their pods naturally loosen as moisture is lost. Nutritionally, they are packed with vitamins A and B, calcium, potassium, protein, and fiber, supporting skin, immunity, digestion, heart health, and muscle repair.
Specialty Produce
1929 Hancock St Suite 150 San Diego CA 92110
View on Instagram
(619) 295-3172 [email protected]
Black Coco Shelling Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco Shelling Beans are believed to have originated from the Rio Coco region of Nicaragua and Honduras before being introduced to French cuisine through trade routes between the Americas and Europe. They gained recognition in the mid-1900s when black bean soup recipes appeared in prominent cookbooks. Thriving in warm, frost-free climates, these beans are mostly grown in home gardens or farmers' markets outside of France.
Two Peas In a Pod
Black Coco Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco Beans: These beans may be relatives of the White Coco beans, also known as le Coco de Paimpol, which were the first fresh vegetable in France to earn protected appellation d'origine contrôlée status. This recognition ensures authenticity and quality by limiting production to specific regions. Originally resistant to darker beans, France favored whites due to concerns that darker beans, like Black Coco, might discolor other cooking ingredients.
Two Peas In a Pod
Black Coco Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco shelling beans have a striking appearance, transitioning from vibrant green pods to yellow with brown speckles as they mature. Inside each 13 cm pod are 5 to 6 glossy, ovate beans, known for their nutty flavor and dense, meaty texture when cooked. The pods' indentations mark the positions of these medium-sized beans, making them a staple for hearty, flavorful dishes.
Two Peas In a Pod
Black Coco Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco Shelling Beans can be enjoyed in a variety of recipes including soups, pastas, salads, and casseroles. They pair well with Mexican dishes such as tacos and burritos. Their ideal flavor companions include garlic, cilantro, oregano, corn, and roasted fish. Mature beans should be cooked prior to consumption, and fresh ones should be refrigerated and used within four to five days for optimum freshness.
Two Peas In a Pod
Black Coco Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco Shelling Beans are bush beans, meaning they grow in a compact, self-supporting pattern, reaching up to 60 cm tall without the need for trellises or stakes. Harvested either for fresh eating or as mature shelling beans, their pods dry out and shrink as they ripen, making the beans easier to separate. Rich in nutrients like protein, fiber, iron, calcium, and potassium, these legumes promote heart health, muscle repair, and overall vitality.
2 Peas in a Pod
1358
Deer Canyon Rd Arroyo Grande CA 93420
+18058013370 [email protected]
Black Coco Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco shelling beans likely originated from the Rio Coco region of Nicaragua and Honduras and were introduced to France via trade routes between the Americas and Europe. They gained culinary recognition only in the mid-1900s when black bean soup recipes emerged in major cookbooks. Thriving in warm, frost-free climates, these beans are uncommon outside of France and are mostly grown in home gardens or sold at farmers' markets.
Specialty Produce
1929 Hancock St Suite 150 San Diego CA 92110
View on Instagram
(619) 295-3172 [email protected]
Black Coco Beans from Two Peas In a Pod…..Black Coco Shelling Beans are thought to be relatives of the White Coco bean, celebrated in France as Coco de Paimpol, a fresh vegetable recognized with protected appellation d'origine contrôlée status. French growers initially resisted darker beans due to their color-bleeding tendencies during cooking. Coco de Paimpol beans remain hand-harvested in Brittany's Côtes-d´Armor region, preserving traditional methods.
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