My Tiny PlotCelebrating the Broad Bean Harvest
It’s time to bring in the Broadbeans. I have around six plants producing a ton of beans. Harvesting the biggest ones from the bottom I managed to collect this little lot and some podded Peas too.
When it comes to preparing Broadbeans and Peas it’s always a time issue. Do you have time to do the shelling? I have harvested many a bowl of Peas or Beans that have sat, unshelled for a day or two. Not with these.
You don’t always need to shell Broad beans. If they are young enough and fresh enough they are pretty sweet as they come. But for those that do need shelling I did a post a while ago on how to shell Broadbeans. These were very sweet.
The first Broad bean harvest is definitely cause for celebration in our house. We had Jamie Oliver’s Incredible Smashed Pea and Broadbeans on Toast. A lovely recipe with Lemon, Mint and Pecorino cheese. With some crisp white wine, candles and a bunch of nice Oakleaf Hydrangeas cut from the garden. It was heaven.
You’re so much further ahead than me in Edinburgh… my broadbeans have just started flowering. Have never grown them before (I’m trying Jade) so looking forward to my first harvest after seeing this. Very envious of your greenhouse, mtp!
The beauty of the broad bean is the simplicity and ease of which it is to cook with, and of course the wonderful fresh flavour coming from a freshly picked pod. So then, whether for the first time or for the thousandth time, there are plenty of good reasons to experiment with broad beans.