Topic: Broad beans

[Mrs Ava]

Picked my broadies today, masses!  The kids shucked them for me and I had over a pound of beans!  I am the only taker so broad bean risotto, broad bean salad, broad bean salsa, broad bean soup, etc, etc  ;D  Am I complaining, no chance.  And the great thing is, those were my winter sown ones, my spring sown broadies are all fattening up and I reakon are only 2 weeks away from picking.

[legless]

i can't believe how fast the beans grow once they appear! thoroughly recommend broad beans, thinly sliced home grown onion in a lemon juice and olive oil dressing!

[derbex]

Legless, beans cooked or beans raw?

I'n new to broad beans -having been put off by tough-shelled ones as a kid, but am rapidly being converted and will definately grow more next year.

Question to self -why have you been growing overwintering field beans as a green manure when you could have been growing broad beans  ???

Jeremy

[aquilegia]

Someone please remind me to sow some broadies in the autumn. I keep forgetting and then the beans get attacked by blackfly before they produce anything for me to eat.  :'( (just feeling sorry for myself today after the parsnip palavar!)

[Multiveg]

I'll try to remind you...

[gilgamesh]

Went to my sister-in-law's house yesterday to collect a broody bantam, and she's got a couple of "broad beans" that I'm not sure of. They are about 5 ft tall, and have the characteristic square stems, but are loaded with 3-4 in long pods all the way up. Does that sound familiar to anyone? They are self-evidently a vetch, but I'm wondering if they are a tic bean.

[tim]

db - if you ever have old beans, just skin them. Some chefs do that with any beans. And you pay for it!! = Tim

[legless]

very lightly cooked (boiled or steamed)

[cleo]

A bit premature for this one but old beans can be cooked,remove the tough skin and make a `Dhal`

Stephan

[Derekthefox]

A gorgeous way I enjoy them is poached in a very light white sauce (butter, flour, milk), with perhaps a touch of onion or garlic to add flavour. They are positively divine, words cannot describe the ecstasy of those first beans. As I write, my first Duke of York new pots are simmering on the stove, hope to get my first beans over the weekend.

[Derekthefox]

Yes, cleo, I have done similar - pureed beans (but I leave the skins in), lashings of garlic and oil, and chili and onion to taste. Makes a nice simple dish with nan and salad.