The most well-known is the white and green varieties, which actually range in colour from cream-coloured to cream-coloured tinged with pale green.
The green variety was perfected by a man named Chevrier from 1878 onwards in Brétigny-sur-Orge, France. The cultivar he perfected came to be called “Chevrier vert.” Chevrier Vert takes about 95 days from planting to being ready to harvest. The plant will grow about 2 feet (60 cm) tall. Each pod will have 6 to 7 beans in it. The pale green colour of these beans stays when cooked.
They are harvested at an immature state, while they are still very tender and have a very mild flavour.
Flageolet Beans are sold dried or already cooked in tins. They can be bought fresh as well in some places.
They grow on small bushes 10 to 15 inches (25 to 40 cm) high. They are propagated by seed which germinates in 4 to 10 days.
For fresh Flageolet Beans, the pods are picked when they look like pods of peas. For semi-dried beans, the whole plant is pulled, then hung upside down inside somewhere until the pods feel dry to the touch.
For dried Flageolet Beans, they are harvested and podded just as the bean is maturing, and not quite ripe,
They are often served with lamb.
Cooking Tips
Dried Flageolet Beans will swell two times their size when cooked. Soak dried beans for 1 hour, then simmer for 25 minutes.
Fresh ones, cook as you would peas. Semi-dried ones, just cook a little longer.
Substitutes
Navy Beans, Great Northern Beans.
History Notes
Flageolet Beans were developed in France in the 1800s.
The first one was called “Nain hâtif de Laon” (Laon Early Dwarf.)