Topic: Two questions

[artichoke]

My favourite way to eat broad beans is with a creamy parsley sauce - fantastic. Also tonight I am reheating a frozen chicken casserole, and at the last moment will throw in a handful or more of broad beans and just lightly simmer for a minute or two.

[Aden Roller]

Broadbeans = pick before they get too big (smaller ones are best), steam & serve with a small *thingy of butter.
Brilliant!



Edit:
(Interesting to see that "k-n-o-b" changes to *"thingy" - not so sure the filtered alternative is better at all :D)

[grannyjanny]

I'm pretty sure that there's a broad bean that you grow to eat the whole pod, could be stereo.

[Aden Roller]

I'm pretty sure that there's a broad bean that you grow to eat the whole pod, could be stereo.

Sounds a bit fluffy and furry to me  ???

[Robert_Brenchley]

I believe you eat them when they're a couple of inches long, though I've never tried it.

[Aden Roller]

I believe you eat them when they're a couple of inches long, though I've never tried it.

Coo...If they are ordinary broad beans what a waste!! Think of all the beans that would grow inside the pod. I'm just too mean to munch them before I get my monies worth.  ;)

[pigeonseed]

I believe you eat them when they're a couple of inches long, though I've never tried it.

Coo...If they are ordinary broad beans what a waste!! Think of all the beans that would grow inside the pod. I'm just too mean to munch them before I get my monies worth.  ;)

Me too! Maybe that's how our ancestors felt about people eating green peas. ;D
Imagine what they'd make of mangetout   :o

[Robert_Brenchley]

The really old peas (before the introduction of the first sweet-tasting varieties in the reign of Charles II) had to be eaten when very young and only part grown to get the sweet taste. Only the rich could afford to do this; the hoi polloi left them to mature and used them for savory dishes.

[Jayb]

Gosh I 'm sure I cant be the only one ....
I've eaten small broadies pod an all, taste well...broad beanie  ;D The texture is a bit different, though not furry in any way. I prefer them when the are a bit bigger and podded but imho still good enough eating to have some as a early taster. Easy too, just pick and cook  :) My mum hated them whole!

[Aden Roller]

We had our second picking of broad beans for dinner tonight along with new potatoes and roast lamb (that bit wasn't home grown!).

The beans were wonderful - succulent and well worth all the effort and the waiting.  ;)

[non-stick]

I love broad beans - as does my mother. She was round for dinner yesterday and I had to put them on top of the kitchen cupboards to make sure we had some left to cook. If I let her loose in the allotment I'd struggle to get any home

Mind you me and Mrs Stick are prone to eating quite a few peas down there just to "check they are OK"

[Aden Roller]

Perhaps I'm being too optimistic but so far this season the broad beans seem to have been more succulent and (so far) less inclined to develop the tougher outer skin around each bean. Perhaps it's the lower temperatures and increased rainfall?

There just has to be some advantage to this water-world summer we're having this year.  ;)

[Vinlander]

Re broad beans, my Dr Hessayon book says to pick the first pods when they are 2-3" long and cook them whole. I did this and didn't really like the taste of the pods, so maybe i'll add lemon next time. Any other suggestions for flavouring?

If you boil them whole they are like a sponge and go incredibly soggy and horrible.

The answer is to lightly steam them or quickly stir-fry (by which I don't mean the kind my wife makes where she cooks all the water out of the leafy greens until it becomes a stir-soup!).

Cheers.

PS. Eating a few small early ones off each plant hardly affects the final yield - it might push the last pods into a later week... spreading your cropping time is a good thing - right?

[Aden Roller]

Re broad beans, my Dr Hessayon book says to pick the first pods when they are 2-3" long and cook them whole. I did this and didn't really like the taste of the pods, so maybe i'll add lemon next time. Any other suggestions for flavouring?

If you boil them whole they are like a sponge and go incredibly soggy and horrible.

The answer is to lightly steam them or quickly stir-fry (by which I don't mean the kind my wife makes where she cooks all the water out of the leafy greens until it becomes a stir-soup!).

Cheers.

Personally I'm quite happy to shell the beans, eat and enjoy them and then return the pods to the compost heap....giving a little back to the ground.  ;)

[powerspade]

I fry some whiltshire bacon with broad beans and new potatoes and then drizzle a little bacon fat over the potatoes -   mmmmmm heaven