Creamy Flageolet Beans, French Style - cooking recipe

Ingredients

500 g dried flageolet beans
1 bulb of garlic, cloves peeled
2 -3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
200 g creme fraiche
40 g fresh parsley, chopped
1 lemon, juice of
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Place the beans in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and leave to soak overnight (you can also soak these in the morning if you are eating in the evening).
Drain the beans, place them in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, bring it to the boil and then drain them; repeat, covering the beans with plenty of cold water and adding the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf; simmer the beans for 1 1/2 hours until very tender, topping up the pan with boiling water if necessary.
Check the beans after 1 1/4 hours; when ready they should be tender and creamy-textured inside,
Drain the beans, reserving a mug of cooking liquor and discarding the herbs; return the beans and garlic to the saucepan, stir in the creme fraiche with a little of the liquor and parsley and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
If you prepare these in advance, add a little more of the cooking liquor when reheating.