Flageolet beans, pickled mustard seeds, and a hard-fried egg is a substantial, hearty meal.
As temperatures dip and the leaves change, a slow-cooked, soul-warming bean stew simmered in light smokey turkey stock, accompanied by a home-baked no knead farmer’s bread, is pure comfort. I have been wanting to share this very simple, yet delicious, recipe for some time. Now that fall has arrived, and the soup, chowder, and stew season is here, I don’t think there is a better time to share a bean stew recipe. I found a new love for beans, specifically Flageolet beans. An iconic French bean that is so French that someone cannot talk about French cooking without mentioning Flageolet beans.
Flageolet beans are an important ingredient in traditional French cooking and are used in a Cassoulet or a stew with goose, lamb, and rabbit. They are a perfect fit for grilled meats, ham, as well as, seafood. Small and pale green, they have a very delicate flavor and are delicious with a leg of lamb, an Easter favorite.
What’s for breakfast?
In France, I don’t think Flageolet beans are consumed at breakfast. However, just ask our friends from the UK about their traditional English breakfast. In the UK, beans are a great component of breakfast, and who says they have to be cooked with molasses, ketchup, and brown sugar?
Beans and legumes — meaning all types of dried beans, split peas, and lentils — are fair game for increasing your protein intake. Flageolet beans are a fiber-rich nutrient powerhouse and served with breakfast they are a much healthier option than a bowl of cereal. Beans keep you full longer because they are so rich in fiber.
Click here to purchase Flageolet
How to cook Flageolet
Flageolet like any other dry bean needs to be soaked in water to hydrate. The night before cooking, place the beans in a large bowl and cover them with cold water, cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. Flageolet beans can be cooked with beef or chicken stock, and always with a mirepoix. I use Turkey stock, it’s the perfect light stock for cooking legumes. I have found flageolets in the form of dried beans in stores like Whole Foods or specialty food stores and of course Amazon.
Mirepoix, it sounds so French
And it is. Mirepoix, a humble selection of basic vegetables, has been used by many chefs and is considered to be the key ingredient for adding that extra oomph to a dish. With a stew, it’s recommended to cut the mirepoix into 1/2-inch size, which will release as much flavor as possible. Cutting Mirepoix was one of the first things I learned as an apprentice. A classic mirepoix consists of onions, celery, and carrots. The ratio is usually 2 parts onions, 1 part celery, and 1 part carrots. Cut into even dice, sometimes mirepoix gets strained out, however, with this recipe it’s not strained. In a traditional mirepoix, the ratio of ingredients is determined by weight. So, for example, 2 pounds of mirepoix would be 16 ounces of onions, 8 ounces of carrots, and 8 ounces of celery.
Roasted Tomatoes
Roasted tomatoes are another recipe that takes patients and time to cook. They are very simple to make and the time you spend baking them at low heat in the oven is worth every minute. Like everything, cooking low and slow creates flavor. Store roasted tomatoes in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and in the freezer for several months. You’ll be surprised just how long they can last in the freezer if properly prepared and stored.
Hard fried Eggs
There was a time when I cooked all my fried eggs with no color on the egg white.
I fry my eggs in hot oil until the egg white edge is caramelized to a crunchy golden brown. Cook, the eggs quickly because you want a crispy egg white and a runny egg yolk. A crispy cooked egg white adds additional flavor, crunch, and texture and is more interesting to eat.
Condiments
There are a few awesome condiments I recommend serving with the flageolet beans. Condiments kick everything thing up a notch. The Brown Sugar Bourbon Pickled Mustard Seed recipe is one condiment you will always find in my refrigerator. Easy to make and a flavor bomb, the same goes for my Green Harissa recipe. Both recipes are amazing and are the perfect match for the beans.
Flageolet Beans, Brown Sugar Pickled Mustard Seeds & Hard Fried Egg
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
Flageolet Beans
- 1.5 lb Flageolet beans
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 carrots medium dice
- 2 onion medium dice
- 2 celery stalks medium dice
- 2 garlic clove minced
- 5 sage fresh chopped
- 1 sprig thyme fresh chopped
- 1 sprig rosemary, fresh chopped
- 3 bay leaf
- 1 tsp fennel seeds crushed
- 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 20 fl oz Turkey Stock or purchased low sodium chicken stock
Slow roasted Tomatoes
- 1/2 lb cherry tomatoes
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp herbs de Provence
Hard fried Eggs
- 12 eggs
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Garnish
- 6 slices Farmer's bread
- 6 tbsp brown sugar pickled mustard seeds
Instructions
Soak the Flageolets
- Put the Flageolets in a bowl and add cold water to cover about two inches above the top of the beans. Let sit overnight.1.5 lb Flageolet beans
Slow roast the tomatoes
- Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise. Place them on the baking sheet, cut side up, and sprinkle with the sea salt and the herbs de Provence. Bake the tomatoes until they look dry but are still slightly plump and not leathery, about 2 hours, depending on their size.1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp herbs de Provence
Cook the Flageolet ( Preheat oven to 300 F.)
- Drain the beans. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and saute until the vegetables start to soften. Add the garlic, chopped sage, thyme, rosemary sprig, and fennel seeds. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add bay leaves, red pepper chili flakes, beans, and turkey stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a quick boil. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and bake the beans in the oven for about 30 minutes.2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 carrots, 2 onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 garlic clove, 5 sage fresh, 1 sprig thyme fresh, 1 sprig rosemary, fresh , 3 bay leaf, 20 fl oz Turkey Stock, 1 tsp red pepper flakes
Increase oven temp to 350 F.
- After the initial bake of 30 minutes, increase oven temperature to 350 F. and bake the beans without lid for additional 50 minutes or until beans are tender and creamy. Add chopped flat-leaf parsley. If the beans are too dry add a little more stock.1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley
Hard Fry the Eggs
- Fry eggs in hot oil until the egg white edge is caramelized to a crunchy golden brown. Cook the eggs quickly because you want a crispy egg white and a runny egg yolk.12 eggs, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Garnish
- Serve hot, topped with a fried egg, slow-roasted tomatoes, pickled mustard seeds, and roasted Farmer's bread on the side.6 tbsp brown sugar pickled mustard seeds, 6 slices Farmer's bread
Chef Notes
- The beans develop more flavor if they are cooked the day before and reheated carefully on the day of service.
- Never boil beans, simmer low and slow so they keep their creamy structure.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate