Broad beans: season and benefits
Seasonal calendar - Broad beans
Nutritional values
Rich in plant protein and iron, broad beans are also an excellent source of fibre and folate.
Storage
Fresh broad beans keep 2 to 3 days in the fridge in their pods. Shell at the last moment. For large beans, remove the second skin after a quick 30-second blanch. They freeze very well shelled and blanched. Dried, they keep for months.
Origin
The broad bean is one of the oldest cultivated legumes, grown for at least 7,000 years in the Near East. Egyptians, Greeks and Romans made it a dietary staple. In the Middle Ages, it was the main protein source for common people. A broad bean is hidden in the French galette des Rois, a tradition dating back to the Roman Saturnalia.
Cooking Broad beans
Goes well with
Recipe ideas
- Broad beans with sea salt
- Broad beans sautéed with mint
- Broad bean and pecorino salad
- Broad bean and garlic purée
- Lamb tagine with broad beans
Did you know?
Pythagoras forbade his disciples from eating broad beans, believing that the souls of the dead resided in these seeds because of their embryo-like shape.