Give that Vegetable a Medal!
Dear tired, over-stretched lifestyle-blocker with too many lambs to crutch, too much hay to cut, too many kids home for the holidays, and a whole paddock of ragwort requiring spraying—
Did you know that there's a delicious, completely undemanding, pretty-much-impossible-to-go-wrong-with vegetable out there just waiting for you to grow? Not only does it require very little of your time, but it also has infinite culinary potential and, better still, there's still time to sow it. In fact, there's almost no time at all that you can't throw its seed in the ground.
If you're looking for more ideas on what to plant and when, you'll find seasonal advice and inspiration on our Vegetable Gardening page.
Broadbeans Deserve a Second Chance
The humble broadbean, which so many of us shy away from because of the grizzly way it was prepared for us as children (bitter, fluffy pods boiled to a leathery texture, or tough, grey bullets served as an accompaniment to sausages and mash) is one of the world's most popular vegetables. Not only is it a thriver, even when neglected by the gardener or challenged by climate, but its culinary versatility lends itself to the cuisine of whatever country it happens to be growing in.
What to Do With Broadbeans in the Kitchen
Going by various names including fava, fava field bean, horse bean, or tic bean, the broadbean is enjoyed in the Middle East as spicy falafel patties, in the Mediterranean, sweated with dill, garlic, and olive oil, or in Spain as bright green pesto whipped up with mint and lemon juice. The secret of this legume's utter scrumptiousness in any dish is to eat the beans when they are young, or peel them when they are more mature.
Low-Maintenance and High-Reward
I adore broadbeans, and sow them throughout the year from late winter to late summer, revelling in the fact that they require so little attention. Being large seeds, they germinate even in ground only roughly hoed. Manufacturing their own nitrogen (which also makes them an excellent green crop to dig into the soil after harvesting), they are undemanding in terms of feeding and, although they do enjoy moisture, they continue to thrive even in a dry season.
In a wetter climate, a quick pinching out of the top leaves once the desired height has been reached is enough to halt their growth, and those same leaves make a delicious addition to salads.
Staking Optional
Although you will often find broadbeans artfully staked in neat rows, unsupported broadbean plants will, in all but the wettest climates, continue to grow happily and produce a decent crop even when they flop untidily on top of each other and begin to rust. Now that's my kind of vegetable.
Time to Sow and Enjoy
Why not grab a bag of broadbean seed right now, soak them overnight to hasten germination and, if you haven't got a rough patch of ground where you can sow them, tuck them around the edge of the spud patch – or in the patio tub of that ugly conifer you've always wanted to biff. Then get trolling the 'net for some exotic fava recipes. The one below might just get you in the mood.
Broadbean Guacamole
Ingredients:
½ a bucket of mature broadbeans
1 large clove of garlic (peeled)
1 tsp ground cumin
juice of 2 lemons
olive oil (start with a ¼ cup)
salt and black pepper to taste
Method:
Pod the beans and boil them until tender. Remove their outer grey skin to expose the greener flesh beneath. Whiz the beans together with the garlic, cumin, and lemon juice, adding a little oil at a time, until a smooth paste results. Add salt and pepper to taste and, if required, more lemon juice.
Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with something bright (red capsicum looks pretty against the green), and chill until required. Serve with crostini or plain crackers.
Tip: If you do find time to stake your broadbean plants, builder’s reinforcing mesh mounted on warratahs is perfect for the job. Look for it at your local dump shop.
