Legumes |
Introduction |
|
Evidence exists that suggests the native people of Mexico and Peru were cultivating bean crops as far back as 7000 BC.
The early farmers who were growing beans also grew grains (wheat, barley, millet rice and corn). Beans and grains have a symbiotic relationship in which the amino acids of each complement one another in such a way to form a complete protein, which is the foundation for the growth and development of many life forms including humans.
Beans are still an important part of world agriculture and are an essential part of a balanced diet in many countries.
Legumes are a good source of vitamins A, C, folate, thiamin (B1) iron and phosphorous. |
Broad Beans |
Broad Beans are thought to have originated in the Mediterranean. Archaeological findings at Iron and Bronze Age settlements in various parts of Europe show that they have been a staple food for millennia.
Today Broad Beans (known as Fava Beans in America) grow in temperate regions across the globe.
Broad Beans are a type of vetch with the latin name Vicia faba. Vetches are nitrogen fixing plants that enrich the soil in which they are planted.
Commonly cultivated Broad Beans mainly fall into two classes. Longpod beans feature eight beans per pod and are more durable to different climatic conditions. Windsor varieties have four or five beans per pod and are considered by some to have a finer flavour.
Broad Beans are good sources of protein, fibre, Vitamins A and C, potassium and iron. They also contain levodopa (L-dopa), a chemical the body uses to produce dopamine (the neurotransmitter associated with the brain's reward and motivation system).
After picking, Broad Beans quickly lose flavour with each day that passes. Keep them cool and eat them quick. Freshly picked beans can be frozen very successfully after briefly blanching them. |
Peas |
The Latin name for Peas is Pisum sativum. There are 40, 000 hectares of Peas grown in the UK each year, equivalent to 80, 000 football pitches.
Peas in their dried form have been used as a food since ancient times. Archaeologists found them in ancient Egyptian tombs, but it was not until the 16th century that tender varieties were developed to be eaten fresh. In the 17th century, Louis XIV's court discovered the delights of eating young, fresh Peas. In the 19th century, Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk and botanist, used Peas for his famous plant breeding and heredity experiments which are considered the foundation of modern genetics.
Fresh Peas became popular in the 19th century when improved varieties were developed by English plant breeders. The world's first sweet tasting Pea was developed in the 18th century by amateur plant breeder Thomas Edward Knight of Downton near Sailisbury, England. Modern garden Pea varieties trace back to Knight's selection which explains why garden Peas were known as English Peas up until the early years of the 20th century. Today only about 5% of Peas are fresh while the rest of the crop is canned or frozen.
Fresh green Peas should be refrigerated; if kept at room temperature, half their sugar content will turn to starch within a few hours. Low temperatures also help preserve the texture and nutrient content. Look for firm, glossy pods with a slightly velvety feel, filled almost to bursting; the Peas should not rattle loosely in the pod. Choose medium-sized pods rather than overlarge ones. The stem, leaves and tip should be soft and green. Reject pods that are puffy, dull, yellowed or heavily speckled. If possible, crack open a pod and taste a few peas for sweetness.
Rinse the green Pea pods just before shelling them. Pinch off the stem with your fingernail and pull the string down the length of the pod. The pod will pop open.....push out the peas with your thumb. If the pods are clean on the outside, you need not wash the peas. When cooking the peas, you can add three or four pods for extra flavour.
The less water that is used when cooking Peas, the less Vitamin C is lost. Steaming also helps to conserve this vitamin. |
Runner Beans |
Native to the cooler, higher altitude regions of Central America, Runner Beans have been known as a food crop for well over 2,000 years. In many rural areas of Mexico it is common for the starchy roots of the Runner Bean plant as well as the beans, to be used in cooking. The scarlet Runner Bean was first introduced to Europe around 1633 and for 120 years was grown as a decorative plant, for garlands and posies and for covering balconies and defects in fences. Since the mid 18th century however we have grown the Runner Bean mainly for its succulent pods. Most of the Runner Beans grown in the UK are of the scarlet variety.
Today, Runner Beans are a very popular food in the UK, Italy and Mexico and are grown and eaten in each of the five continents.
When buying Runner Beans look for pert, well coloured pods that snap easily with a crunch to reveal a fresh and juicy inside. The smaller and younger the beans, the better. Runner Beans will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days but, as with all legumes, the beans' sugars start turning to starch after picking and they are best eaten as soon as possible.
Wash the beans, top and tail, and remove the stringy bits running up both sides using a small knife or vegetable peeler. Some sources recommend soaking the beans before cooking. Very small and young beans can be served whole, either raw or briefly cooked. Larger Runner Beans need to be finely sliced (diagonally) so that the skin cooks realtively quickly, before the seeds have become too soft.
Runner Beans can be boiled, steamed or stir fried. They are best cooked until on the soft side of al dente (particularly when larger) for maximum flavour. |
|
