Monday 26 July 2021

Bean There, Done That

Another brown paper bag  of broad beans from CCWells came home last week. Then I saw that Nigel Slater had a recipe in the Guardian. It looked like the right sort of light lunch for a hot day.

Really easy - boil the beans, then remove them from the water. Pop the pasta in the water [with extra salt] Reserve a few beans for garnish, then puree the majority with olive oil, basil leaves, black pepper and a little cooking water. Drain pasta and toss with puree. Garnish with reserved beans and watercress.

How easy is that?

NS says he sometimes reduces the pasta, and increases the veg [eg adds courgette or asparagus] and puts some salty ricotta on top. And substitutes land-cress for watercress.

I added emerald garden peas, and garnished with regular cress*, and some crumbled feta** It was very tasty, and exactly the right thing when the temperature was so high.

*I thought land cress was the sort of cress you grow on a flannel or buy in a punnet. I now know it is something else entirely

**after years of avoiding all cheese because Cheddar, Red Leicester and Cheshire cheeses made me sick, I am now experimenting with softer 'farmhouse' cheeses. Feta is now on my 'OK list'

And the pods? Well Tom Hunt's Waste Not idea is to fry them as snacks.

Do NOT try this at home!
They are truly horrid. Chewy and stringy, and consigned to the bin. Up there with Hugh FW's Slug Stew. A Zero-Waste-Failure.



8 comments:

  1. Guess what we're having for lunch today?
    We both love broad beans, but neither of us are fussed on watercress, so I'll do as you did and use cress from the kitchen window ledge!
    Are those Hornsea 'Contrast' bowls you've used? My mum had the full range in the 70s, and I inherited it. We used it for over 9 years, but when we moved from our large family house to our small bungalow, I just couldn't find room for it. Therefore our son now has the eight large steak platters, but as he didn't want anything else, we sent it to auction. I couldn't believe how much money people were willing to pay for it! As we made a lot more than we expected, I split the cash 50/50, and our closest food bank got a hefty donation. That's what I call a win/win!
    Have a good day.

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  2. Yes it is Hornsea contrast. my main China is Hornsea cornrose (wedding gifts 1979) but I got some of these bowls a couple of years back in a CS. They are so useful , oven & microwave proof. Just right for a single serving. What a generous thing to do with your profits from the auction. Good to know that others will be fed because of your kindness.

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  3. That looks like a nice light lunch. I'm laughing at the stringy fried bean pods. I'm all for saving the planet but I guess anyone would have to be pretty hungry to eat those! Blue cheese is the one I cannot tolerate. I used to love it but for years now my aging interior has decided it is too rich.

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  4. I can't imagine ever trying to eat a broad bean pod - unless the soft interior could be dried and used for something crafty. I am however making use of very old mangetout pods - I made a lovely light peapod and mint summer soup yesterday with onion, one celery stick, half a large carrot, half an enormous yellow courgette and 4 springs of mint which were removed before whizzing. I've made it before from bits and bobs and it has to be sieved to remove any stringy bits but the flavour is lovely and very creamy.

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    Replies
    1. That's a lovely sounding recipe. I agree, light peapods would taste better than the thick blankets which cushion the beans!

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  5. Glad you enjoyed the lunch if not the fried pod snack! Certain things are probably better as compost for the garden. :)

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  6. This sounds lovely, must try it soon!
    I had to Google slug stew, thinking surely not! But apparently yes it was! The stuff of nightmares! Beyond gruesome even for HFW.

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  7. I was incredulous and excited to hear of you being able to use the bean pods but it's a shame that it didn't work out.
    Slug stew????? That is NASTY!!!

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