Lupini beans are an Italian snack that my family have been preparing and consuming for as long as I can remember. You buy the yellow beans dried and they must be prepared properly before being eaten. The process for preparing Lupini beans often baffles those who are not familiar with them, as the process is quite different from that used for other dried beans more familiar to most Americans.
I remember browsing an online forum on Lupini beans once, and I chuckled asI read someone's confused post about having tried to use them in soup and having found them inedible. These are not the kind of beans you put into a stew. They have toxins in them initially, which is why they must be prepared and (usually) pickled (and FYI, they don't taste anything at all like pickles). Proper preparation of the beans leaches all the toxins out, leaving a yummy snack that is healthy and high in protein. If not prepared properly, these beans will taste very very bitter, so don't worry, you'll know if they're not ready for eating.
Lupini Bean Prep:
First, you'll need to find an Italian food store or online retailer to purchase from, as you probably won't find these at your local grocery store. I usually get mine from Nuts.com.
1. Pour the beans into a large bowl or pan and look for bad beans to pick out by running your hands through the beans to stir them up.
If you got quality beans, you'll probably find very few bad ones. Generally you only need to pull them out if they are completely black, have holes, or look obviously spoiled or shriveled. Good beans should look like pale yellow dried discs (even beans that have small brown spots on the skins are usually just fine).
Bad Bean
2. Pour beans into one or more containers for soaking. The beans should not even fill quite half the depth of the container as the beans will more than double in size. Cover beans with water, filling the container so that the beans will still be covered after expanding. Leave to soak overnight.
As the beans soak, they'll start to take on a wrinkled appearance as they absorb water.
After soaking overnight, the beans should look something like this. They will have expanded quite a bit and will look plump and smooth.
3. Next Day: Drain the beans, rinse, and pour into a large pot. Cover with fresh water and transfer to the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for one hour.
4. Drain and return to pot. Cover with salt water (1 T salt per quart of water). Leave to soak. Drain and change salt water once or twice a day for 5-10 days or until water is no longer bitter.
Notes: You will probably notice some filmy material floating in the water when you go to change it, this is good because it means that the toxins are being leached out of the beans. The water may also have a slight bitter odor. When the water remains clear and the beans/water are no longer bitter to the taste, the beans are ready. Mine usually only have to soak for about 5 days. I recommend covering the pot with a lid while soaking and placing the pot in a cool spot in the kitchen, basement, or even a garage if convenient.
Now you're ready for canning!
5. You'll need enough mason jars, lids, and rings for all of your beans, as well as a canning tool set. You can purchase these at most grocery stores, Wal-mart, etc...or online. You'll need to wash and sanitize the jars before use, either by boiling them or using your favorite alternative method. Put rings and lids into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
6. Cover beans with fresh brine (2 T salt per quart of water) and bring to a boil.
7. Fill jars with beans and brine, making sure brine covers the beans, and leaving about 1/2" of head space. I also like to add peeled garlic to mine so I'll usually throw in a couple of cloves as I'm filling the jar (I finish one jar at a time). You can also add peppers, rosemary, or any other herb you'd like to flavor the beans.
8. Slip a butter knife down to the bottom of the jar around the edges to push out air bubbles.
9. Wipe the mouth of the jar with a clean dishtowel, making sure there is no moisture around the lip.
10. Remove a lid and ring from the water (use the magnet tool that came with the canning supplies to retrieve them from the hot water) and wipe with the dishtowel. Put the lid on the jar and seal tightly with the ring.
11. The jars will be hot so I put some dishtowels down on my counter and line the jars up on the towels as I finish them. Then, I just wait for them to pop (seal). You can hear them make a popping sound when the center of the lid gets sucked down slightly. This means they have properly sealed. Once they are cool, I loosen the rings and then store them for later eating!
