Nancy -- lucky you. As byrd stated, you can save the brown ones to replant (let the mature bean dry thoroughly). I grow "year-after-year" green beans and use them for nearly everything. The very mature fat beans with bulging seeds are still delicious. Just use them as shell beans. The ones I get are buttery, creamy and delicious. I'll try to find a photo. Cook the fat seed beans as a side dish or put into a vegetable or chicken soup.

I will give a couple of my recipes ( follow -- end of post), but first):

FOAS: I think you will be just fine using that Sichuan preserved vegetable.

I use green beans or Yard Long green beans this way.

1. These are the beans called for in (I just made some -- yummy) "Green Papaya Salad". This is super easy to make and there are many recipes online. I can give you one if you're not successful with a search or have questions. Essentially, it is a raw salad of the following ingredients: shredded strips of green papaya, yard long green beans, cherry tomatoes, dry roasted peanuts, (dried tiny Asian shrimp, optional), ground fresh bird chilies (or similar, without the seeds; I sometimes use my red-ripe jalapeño from garden); dressing of -- fresh squeezed lime juice, Thai fish sauce, palm sugar or white sugar. You can optionally add cilantro.

2. Dry-Fried Green Beans -- so delicious and very easy. If you don't wish to "fry" inside the house, just use an outdoor grill. There are many recipes online, or I can give you mine. Lately I have modified mine to include the powder from roaste Sichuan peppercorns (not really a pepper and not hot, but gives a bit of numbing quality ("ma") and a lovely depth of flavor. Discard the stems and the black seeds; lightly toast the red-orange husks. Cool to dry, then grind to a powder. I use about 1-2 Tbl per recipe.

In July and August into September, I make this at least about once a week. You can serve with steamed jasmine white rice or brown rice.

I''LL give my recipe if anyone wants it, but here are the ingredients and a photo. Oh, and the leftovers are good the next day, even if cold.

Ingredients: (not in any order, yet)

Ground pork loin (perhaps 6-8 oz.) (easy to grind is a partially frozen)

Green beans -- fresh, picked over to remove stems)

Cornstarch (1-2 T mixed in w ground pork)

2 T toasted ground Sichuan peppercorn "husks"

Freshly minced garlic

Freshy grated ginger root

peanut or vegetable oil

soysauce

Xsio-Shing wine or 1 T extra dry sherry (drinking, never "cooking" sherry)

sugar or palm sugar (bit -- like 1.5 tsp)

Oyster sauce (or Hoisin sauce)

bit of chicken broth

bit of Fermented red rice vinegar (adds a musty taste)

Red ripe jalapeño chili from garden. Seeds and pith removed. Very finely minced.

Toasted sesame oil (store in fridge so that it stays fresh!)

8 Scallion or green onion -- clean, trim, wash. Separate the "white" from the green parts. Use both, but added at separate times.

Half cup or more of dry roasted peanuts (at end)

Total prep time is about 10 mins

Total cooking time is about 6 to 8 minutes

Note: you can make this with chicken; I love it with pork (loin -- with a bit of pork fat on it). This recipe uses about 4 Cups or more of fresh green beans and only anoin 1/2 of a boneless pork loin chop. It's Largely a vegetable dish with pork for texture and flavoring.

Plate it pretty.