Butter Bean

A flat, light green to all white in color, this dried bean has a kidney shape and provides a mild flavor with a soft texture. Butter Beans are available fresh in the shell, dried, frozen and canned. When harvested, the beans can be removed by breaking the stem and pulling down to remove the string, which opens the pod so that the beans can be removed by running a finger along the inside of the pod. Fresh beans should be parboiled before using. Dried beans should be soaked over night or to reduce soaking time, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then cover and soak for 1 hour. This bean is commonly referred to as a Lima, Calico, Madagascar or Snow bean and are available as baby or mature beans.