my first ever broad beans cooking tips please !

[ukmastiff]

Lo all.

My first ever broad beans have 'arrived' does anyone have a favourite 'simple way' to cook and serve them so i can try some tonight ?

Cheers

Mas

[Kleftiwallah]

Boil; for no more than five minutes if tiny. Towards the end of the season and they get huge, boil for a little longer then pop them out of their outer shells.

Cheers, Tony.

[rustylady]

I've cooked a handful tonight. Boiled for 4 minutes, cooled and added to my salad. Nom nom.

[ukmastiff]

Even I can Google and find out you boil or microwave them.

I was looking for those top serving tips that the experts know

[veggiechicken]

My top serving tip for the first crop of anything is eat it plain boiled - in order to enjoy that just picked freshness. I don't have a favourite way of eating broad beans as usually I cook them young in their pods like runner beans. So sorry, no top tips for something different here.

[Bren In Pots]

Lots of good recipes here on this thread started by Two-sheds :-

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ans_26962.html


I know it says dried but you can use them fresh as well and the thread is well worth bookmarking.

[Mr Bones]

Cook a risotto and add beans near the end along with pieces of smoked bacon and black pudding (both slightly crispy).
Also maybe try a warm potato salad with beans slipped out of their skins, snips of sun-dried tomatoes and anything else you fancy.

[binley100]

I pick them small , bring to the boil, simmer for 3 mins, drain then enjoy. I used to hate broad beans before I grew them ......
To freeze , I just pod , chuck in a bag then chuck in the freezer .
To cook from frozen. Get your water boiling , chuck 'em in, bring back to the boil , 3 mins then serve .......easy peasy .
Bigger ones need a tad longer.......

[chris]

I've popped them out of their skins (as in out of the bean shells, after they've been podded) and fried for a few mins in butter. Amazing.

[Tripmeup]

They are lovely fresh with some mint and crumbled feta cheese as a side dish or part of a salad..mmm

[bradlo]

Boil up a plateful for a few minutes...drain, put on plate with a bit of butter on top !
Scrum delicious Yum Yum !

[Florence Fennel]

I was going to ask if there's an easy way to shell them. It's looking like you pod them and then boil for a few minutes before removing the outer shell? Took me ages last week peeling off the shells.

[veggiechicken]

As long as the beans are young 'uns, you don't need to squirt then out of their inner skins; they're edible.
I froze some old ones one year in their skins, once defrosted they came away easily so that may be an alternative.
But, this is why I aim to eat them really young, pods and all. No faffing!

[Alison]

I too find the podding of the actual beans a right pain but as said above, if you eat them young you don't need to do this so that's the way to go. As with most veggies, they're much nicer steamed than boiled (and healthier), just a couple of minutes and then served as a simple veg is my preference but also nice mixed with garlic butter, mint and feta on toast as a snack.

[Florence Fennel]

Don't like the taste of them with the skins on (outer or inner), much prefer them at the very mature stage. Harvested some more last night and they're delish.