Cooking Capulet & Godiva haricot beans from dry ingredient is as simple as brewing tea and cooking pasta:

 

Rinse 1-  Wash dry beans in a colander with cold tap water

    (200g will be equivalent to one tin of beans after cooking)

 

Soak (tea step)-  Transfer rinsed beans into a cooking pot, and cover with boiled water from a kettle. Soak at least 1 hr.  

    Tip:  do this step when you make your morning tea, and they’ll be ready to cook for the evening meal.

 

Rinse 2-  Pour beans back into colander and wash with cold tap water.  Drain and transfer back to the cooking pot.

 

Cook (pasta step)-  Cover beans with hot water from a kettle, and heat on high to start boiling, then reduce to medium heat and continue boiling gently for 15 min.  

 

Steep (optional)-  After 15 min, the beans will be firm but edible (al dente).  To soften further, switch off the heat, place a lid on the pot and let stand for 10 min. Simmer additional 10-15 min on low heat if you prefer beans to be really soft, such as for mashing or soup.

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Suggestions:

• For flavour, add a bay leaf, sprig of thyme or savory, and/or a couple garlic cloves when you start boiling step (after Rinse 2).

• To add more flavour, replace water after 15 min boiling (the ‘pasta step’) with a bottle of cider or beer, or a tin of tomatoes.  

   Don’t add earlier because beans will not soften in acidic water.

• For closed-loop eating, combine cooked beans with other British grown ingredients like parsnips, leek and kale.

• Add a bit of heat with some a spoon or two of English mustard powder.

• Cook once, eat twice:  freeze cooked beans that you haven’t used in your first meal.

• Save and use the viscous bean water (after the cooking step) to use as an egg white substitute (aquafaba).  

   Boil gently to reduce water (thicken), then cool.