[cheshirecheese]

Oh dear ... left a neighbour in charge of watering the greenhouse and veg patch whilst we were away.  I'd told them to help themselves to the runner beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, etc., but other than watering, they'd obviously not been near.  I therefore have a crop of 'has-beans', i.e. large, stringy things, bulging with seed.  Is there any hope?  We had some with our supper last night, and even though I'd stringed them (I thought), they were tough as old boots.     I've made runner bean chutney in the past, but with more youthful specimens.  Any advice gratefully accepted .....  

[Aunt Sally]

They should make good compost

[DD.]

At least you've got next year's seed!

[cheshirecheese]

Mmmm thanks guys!! Is there really nothing I can make them into (other than compst and string vests??)

[Kleftiwallah]

Collect the beans, dry them then have an "How many beans in the Bucket" competition down't pub for Charritteeee! 

Cheers,    Tony.

[Mrs Bee]

You could shell them and eat the bean seeds as a steamed veg once you have kept some for planting next year.  Cook them in a tomato sauce with herbs and spices.

That's what I do with any of mine that have hidden under leaves and got too big.

How sad that they didn't have some of your lovely veg for their dinner.

I had the same deal with my friends  the last time we had a holiday and came back to bags and bags of beans Mary had frozen for me as there were to many for her to eat.

She is Greek and eats loads of veg but even she couldn't manage them all.

[Madame Cholet]

I simmered some in the slow cooker then pureed them for soup in the winter.

[rowlandwells]

normally we have runner beans coming out our ears good grub for putting in the the freezer
but this year they are in very short supply of the Lottie 

we done better with broad beans this season some Lottie holders done better with there runners some you win some you loose 

[Growster...]

I reckon that steaming/boiling the beans still makes them look that funny colour, and not really all that appetising!

We brought home about a pound of just beans (no pods), today, and I'd like to think we can get the pink/black husk off at some stage...

Mind you, Mrs G doesn't like them like that anyway, so at least I'll have a free hand, as long as those blasted skins disappear...

[Mrs Bee]

But the skins are a good source of roughage for the insides Growster
You can tell that by the rumblings they set  off 

I like them in barbeque type tomato sauce. That makes them look a little more appetising

[Growster...]

But the skins are a good source of roughage for the insides Growster
You can tell that by the rumblings they set  off 

I like them in barbeque type tomato sauce. That makes them look a little more appetising

That sounds promising Mrs B!

As long as that awful colour is disguised, then it's got to be worth a pop hasn't it!

Thanks for the idea!

[mumofstig]

Grow white runners Growster, then the beans are..........................white 

[cheshirecheese]

I like the idea of soup, and also just using the beans dressed in a sauce.  I guess you can treat them pretty much like borlotti etc., so as well as Mrs B's bbq tomato sauce, perhaps they'd be good with a garlic and lemon dressing like I sometimes do with broad beans.  Mind you, that wouldn't do a lot to disguise the colour ... maybe we could just eat them blindfold!!!   

[Mrs Bee]

Growster, you are welcome to any of my ideas my love.

Cheshire, I think the eating with a blindfold is a no go. You really don't want a fork up the nose do you.

Just use a a big dollop of something red instead.

[Growster...]

Grow white runners Growster, then the beans are..........................white 

Mums, I have to admit that I didn't know that!

Silly really, but the last time I grew 'White Lady', Mrs G complained that she wanted REDrunners, and told me to get traditional again!

I may be on a loser here, as she a)Loves runners to be red - and lots and lots of them, and b)Doesn't care for eating just the left beans!

C'est la vie, je suppose...;0)