Growing and Cooking Broad Beans
This year I got very excited about the prospect of growing broad beans.Â
There were two aspects to this. Frstly I like eating broad beans,  although I probably have never had them in any quantity and most of the broad beans I have used have been frozen which I always double pod. Secondly I heard that they were good for returning carbon to the soil and so would make a positive addition to them compost once they had finished.
I planted the beans higgeldy piggeldy in spaces around my garden and then once they were up and growing I realised that they should have been in neat rows for staking. Neat rows were formed by transplanting some and others were left to do their thing – whatever it ending up being….
My gardening is all trial and error and I really didn’t quite know what to expect. I also hadn’t seen too many bees around the flowers although there are often bees in the borage which is in a different part of the garden. I had to laugh at myself heading out with brown sugar and water in a spray bottle to spray over the foliage to encourage bees and realised I was way too late and it was completely unneccessary as the beans were already growing.
I now have beans galore – I didn’t realise that there would be so many! Even the plants that I didn’t stake have grown relatively upright and are covered in beans.
Here on foodlovers we have recipes for
broad beans with asparagus and pasta
pasta con primizie
soupe au pistou
I know also that I can steam them and serve them as I would other vegetables.
But what else??? Broad bean ideas gratefully received!
1– of 19 Responses comments (last comment added 4/01/09 at 9:14 p.m. ET)
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June 24, 2010 at 9:26 pm br>
When the Broadbeans have grown to the required height, you can pinch out the tops and cook in very little water absolutely delicious.
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September 27, 2009 at 6:55 pm br>
Where can I get frozen broadbeans already de-coated ie skinless? What manufacturer/supplier?
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August 11, 2009 at 3:52 am br>
Fiona, did you get sick on the raw broad beans? Last night I ate several mature raw broad beans from the garden and today I feel like I have the stomach flu. I found a website that says they contain a toxin that is inactivated by boiling for 10 min.
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August 11, 2009 at 3:30 am br>
Fiona, did you get sick on the raw broad beans? Last night I ate several raw broad beans, shell and all. Today I feel like I have the stomach flu. My husband remembered reading that they can make you sick. I found a website that says if you boil them for 10 min or more, that destroys or reduces the toxin.
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May 7, 2009 at 2:08 pm br>
We enjoy broad beans cooked with some bacon and chopped cashew nuts
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January 13, 2009 at 10:51 am br>
Frozen broad beans should be widely available at supermarkets – wonder why you can’t find them. I must take a look at our local NW and see if they are there.
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January 8, 2009 at 10:45 pm br>
Helen – you mention frozen broad beans ….but from where ? I love broad beans, but the two Foodtowns near me ( Onehunga and Mt. Roskill) don’t stock the frozen ones, nor Pak’N Save at Royal Oak ( which is now HUGE). Ay suggestions?
Regards……. Max C. -
December 3, 2008 at 3:30 pm br>
I have been eating them straight off the plant today, but I read you all talking about shelling them! Am I going to get sick?
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November 2, 2008 at 7:59 pm br>
I make a very tasty broad bean and mint salad, inspired by one served at my favourite Melbourne tapas bar. My version is here on my website: http://www.cookingdownunder.com/articles/2006/249.htm.
I pare down one side of the pod with a potato peeler which makes it easy to get the beans out. Wish I had some growing! -
October 30, 2008 at 10:10 pm br>
If you have lots you could leave some to mature and then dry for use in soups and stews in the winter.
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October 30, 2008 at 8:52 pm br>
I like broad beans best with a wholegrain mustard,either in a sauce or just a spoonful of wholegrain mustard on the beans.
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October 30, 2008 at 4:34 pm br>
There is a very Mediterranean cooking Broad bean.
Simply its Broad beans with Rice and pieces of meats and herbs Dill/ Fennel ……it’s very tasty served with yogurts -
October 30, 2008 at 8:15 am br>
Lovely in a rissotto – I still have one bag of podded broad beans in my freezer from last spring!
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October 28, 2008 at 4:53 pm br>
I’m sure I’ve seen a recipe for a puree type dip for pita etc….
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October 28, 2008 at 3:56 pm br>
If you have Guinea Pigs – they love the foliage and the pods.
Pick the young leaves and add them to your salads, along with the young borage leaves and borage flowers (removing the spiky bit in the middle) (they taste a bit like cucumber). -
October 28, 2008 at 3:56 pm br>
I love a simple salad made with double podded braod beans lightly mashed, chopped toasted almonds, crispy bacon, olive oil and lemon juice and shavings of parmesan. Yum! I bought some at the farmers market on Sunday – yet to use them yet
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October 28, 2008 at 3:55 pm br>
A small clarification – I use the small ones raw, and if you get them young enough don’t bother taking it’s coat off.
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October 28, 2008 at 3:54 pm br>
Pick the small ones and use them fresh in salads – they have a lovely fresh pea flavour.
I have podded a whole lot and chucked in the freezer to add to soups etc for winter.
Another Annabel Langbein recipe is to make Broad Bean Pesto – I have tried it and it is very nice – uses about 500g podded beans.
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Growing and Cooking Broad Beans
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