The Cottage Smallholder


stumbling self sufficiency in a small space

The Grand Broad Bean Challenge

Broad beans

Broad beans

Home grown broad beans are an entirely different ‘animal’ from those wet, hard skinned specimens that were served for school lunches when I was a child. Even the podded broad beans available from good greengrocers and high end supermarkets are not a patch on the pods plucked from your garden and devoured within minutes.

Broad beans tops are a delicacy in France . Baby beans cooked in the pod are delicious. Even more mature broad beans haven’t a hint of school dinners and old mens’ fingers with their translucent skin. To be at their best broad beans need to be eaten super fresh. That’s why it’s worth growing them yourself. Don’t cross broad beans off the seed list until you’ve actually tasted home grown beans.

Young broad beans are a great addition to a salad too – packed with protein and summery flavours. If you are lucky enough to have a glut they also freeze well – I don’t even blanch the beans before freezing.

Most years I sow broad beans before November 5th. The plants generally survive the frosts and snow in our sheltered garden and we have an early crop that is less likely to be damaged by black fly.

This year I decided to sow them early in the year in modules. I planted them out in a border at the beginning of April. Initially I sowed two varieties Claudia Aquadulce (apparently ideal for autumn sowing) and The Sutton. A few weeks ago I invested in some plants from the garden centre – Bunyard’s Exhibition.

Up until two years ago, John sowed his broad bean seed in our garden. They remained nameless. Perhaps he’d been saving seed and planting for so many years that he’d forgotten the variety?

Broad bean flowers

Broad bean flowers

This year I was determined to compare at least a couple of varieties for flavour and overall yield. My plants have been tended with the utmost care. Fed with a diluted liquid seaweed feed once a month and watered every day. I had no idea that when beans or peas are in flower they need extra water. They have been given lavish attention and now they look stunning. Good strong plants, with not a trace of black fly and lots of flowers. And all those flowers will produce beans.

This evening I spotted that baby beans are finally forming on some of the plants. So soon the Cottage Smallholder field trials can begin.

 


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12 Comments

  1. Bib, last time I tried them, I didn’t like them, but your recipe and everyones positive comments about this bean have made me want to give them another go! Beans on the list for next year then.

  2. Veronica

    This is so true! Home-grown broad beans are nothing like anything you buy in shops. When they are tiny, pick them straight off the plant, pod them, and eat raw with a little sprinkle of coarse sea salt and a glass of rosé.

    If they’re bigger, and you can be bothered, slip the outer skins off after cooking and they are a beautiful, intense green. Lovely in salads, pilaff, risotto, anything with bacon or ham (try briefly blanching them, then toss with some quickly fried chopped bacon and a bit of fresh savory or thyme).

    We’ve always planted them in the autumn (admittedly late frost is very unlikely here). Zero maintenance except a bit of weeding, blackfly risk almost zero; just come back in the spring and pick them 🙂

  3. danast

    I too hate broad beans, at least I did until I grew them in my garden last year. They were delicious, unlike any others tasted before. I am growing them again this year and am looking forward to harvesting them when they are still small. Yum!

  4. Julie

    I also hated broad beans as a child, but now like them. I pick them when they are still quite small. They also make a good salad with avocados raw. This year so far I haven’t found any black fly on them which is a first!

  5. Magic Cochin

    mmmmmm! I love Broad Beans! I had always been lucky to eat fresh home grown ones – I was well into my 20s when I realised that chefs recommended skinning them!!! Why would you want to do that? I never knew that shop bought beans tasted more bitter and were tougher.

    Next year do try some Crimson Flowered BBs (I’ll supply the seed) The bean skins are bright green instead of grey/green and are thinner and sweeter.

    If you save your own seed, remember that unlike French Beans they cross pollinate freely and the seed will not be true. But you will get some interesting hybrids.

    Boiled bacon with new potatoes and broad beans 🙂 my ‘desert island’ fantasy supper.

    Celia
    x

  6. I was never given broad beans as a child, and didn’t try them until I was in my 30s. Love at first bite – but as you so rightly say, it’s almost impossible to get good beans unless you grow them yourself, which I started to do as soon as I had space for them. I love them cooked and raw, in just about all forms. A particular favourite is gently cooked smallish broad beans, double podded, and dressed while still warm with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and a little chopped chilli (just as a background note rather than for a chilli kick), then when room temperature, add crumbled feta cheese, chopped peeled and deseeded cucumber, sliced spring onions and chopped fresh herbs – parsley and dill are good. Everyone I’ve ever fed this to has loved it; give it a go. And it looks very pretty too.

  7. We were recommended to sow our broad beans in the autumn so this season we decided to give it a go. Not one plant survived the winter so we are a bit behind now. I love young broad beans so I’m envious of yours now.

  8. I have to admit to never having tried them until I grew them a couple of years ago… And I didn’t like them 🙁

    with hindsight perhaps I didn’t do best by them, we just boiled them and ate them, perhaps I should grow a few next year and do something a tad more interesting with them….

  9. Susan

    I’ve been planting broadbeans since we moved to Holly Grove and have enjoyed delicious crops every year with the exception of 2010. I think the very dry spring last year and my lack of watering caused the failure. Otherwise I agree whole-heartedly that there is almost no more delicious veg that you can grow so easily in the garden and no comparison when bought from the supermarket or greengrocer.

  10. Claire

    You are so right 🙂 I always detested broad beans even though they were from my grandfather’s or my father’s gardens… But i grew them this year and they tasted great! Maybe it’s my adult palate kicking in. I might try growing silverbeet and see if they also transform into yum.

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