Where have you bean … spring has sprung
There’s one vegetable that we look out for every year at Hill Street. When these locally grown beauties come in, we know that spring has truly sprung and we are finally heading into the warmer seasons. Do you know what it is?
It’s well and truly spring now and while we are still enjoying the last of winter’s brassicas, Tasmanian gardeners and growers are entering the traditional ‘hunger gap’ – the time after the late winter crops have been finished off by a late frost or bolted to seed due to the warmer weather, and nothing much is available locally for a few weeks. While the traditional hunger gap is largely bridged these days by modern farming practices, the use of polytunnels, and some help from the warmer states to our north, look out for the first local broad beans of the season, in late spring. These traditionally herald that the hunger gap is over and that spring has sprung.
Broad beans, also known as fava beans, take a bit of extra work to prepare but their bright green inner beans, delicate flavour and promise of warmer weather to come make cooking and eating these beans a springtime ritual worth performing.
How to double pod
Broad beans require double podding – first remove the whole bean from the long green pod by slitting each pod along the seam and running your thumb along the fur-lined inside to push the beans out.
Next you will need to remove the thin greyish skin that covers each individual bean. To do this, blanch them in boiling water for two minutes (no more or you will have mush), drain and refresh under cold water to stop the cooking process, and then slit the skin with your nail. A dazzling tree-frog green bean will be revealed!
How to use broad beans
Broad beans are so vibrant, they look beautiful on top of a dish to add texture and springtime colour. Dress them in a chili and mint vinaigrette and sprinkle over burrata or add them at the very end of cooking a delicate spring vegetable risotto or pasta. They are a lovely accompaniment to some spring lamb cutlets and a soft green salad. Here are some other ideas for using broad beans from Hill Street’s recipe collection:
Summer Gnocchi
Lamb Steak Tray Bake
Grain Bowls
Smoked Trout Bites with Wasabi Cream
Coronation Quiche
