The flageolet (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a small, slender French kidney bean picked young, before the seed fully ripens, and dried while still pale mint-green. Tender, creamy and delicate, with a thin skin and a fine, faintly sweet flavour, it is the most refined of the dried haricots and the classic French accompaniment to roast leg of lamb — the gigot d'agneau aux flageolets — where the bean's mild, grassy, buttery character sets off the rich meat without overwhelming it. Smaller and gentler than the cannellini or the white haricot, prized for keeping its delicate green tint and not collapsing in the pot, the flageolet is a bean of the careful French table: simmered slowly with garlic, butter and herbs, or served simply dressed in oil.