Broad beans

Following the bean fest reported at reference 1, we were pleased to be able to buy a couple of kilos or so of broad beans from the well stocked greengrocer at the top of Ryde High Street. A little dearer than the ones from Borough Market, but then they were rather riper, so I expect we got more than 20% beans this time, although I did not weigh them.

The first outing for them was that very evening, when I took them boiled with a little dry brown bread. BH passed. Some observations.

First, the beans sink when first added to the boiling water, but then float as they swell up. And then shrivel a bit when you take them out of the water, as can be seen above.

Second, the water they are cooked in goes a watery sort of black. An odd colour, given that there is nothing obviously black about the beans.

Third, these riper beans tasted much more like the beans in, say baked beans, than those from Borough. The skins more chewy, the insides more pasty and probably a lot more nutritious.

The second outing for them was this evening, when I made a version of the sauce noticed at reference 1, this time using just Hungarian salami instead of onion and bacon. Probably the salami described at reference 3, which I remember as not particularly liking, preferring Italian salami or French saucisson sec. However, it did pretty well in this context, even if the sauce was a little thicker than it should be. Maybe the absence of onion was the problem.

Served with some very fine spring greens from the large Tesco's near Ryde and some nearly new potatoes. BH did join in on this second occasion. And it all did very well; a substantial and satisfying meal.

I added a little water to what little was left, ready for the microwave in due course. Perhaps for breakfast?

PS 1: the Blogger people have been at it again, with changes to the way one inserts pictures. Last time they tried this there were problems, as reported, for example, at reference 2. But no problems today.

PS 2: further inspection reveals that the salami was indeed the winter salami of reference 3. A salami which had been ground finer than most of its French or Italian counterparts, which was very hard, at least from the outside, and which had a rather dull appearance; a dull red and white rather than a bright red and white. I used to think that, along with German salami, it had the slightly rancid tang of hot lard about it, which I did not care for. I shall try it on white bread in due course. Inspection also revealed freedom from a remarkable range of allergens, some of which I had never heard of. Which is all well and good, but would be even more impressive if they had come clean about the allergens which were present in their product.

PS 3: going on to read reference 4. Where the Mumbai guest list included such luminaries as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Ivanka Trump and Larry Fink (aka Mr. Blackrock). Rihanna and Justin Bieber were among the hired help. Our former fat leader gets mentioned, but his inclusion on the rich list was not confirmed. Ditto Blair, that other former leader. Their wives will be cross. Not the same Mumbai as that I read about at reference 5, a book which I believe has now wound up behind the brick compost bin. There are not going to be any second impressions.

PS 4: Saturday: in the event, the left over beans, microwaved, made a convenient midday snack, pending the arrival of lentils later. They microwaved rather better than I expected, going down rather well. Would do well as an amuse bouche as part of a pub dining experience? Central blurring down to the sauce rather than down to the telephone, as can be verified by clicking to enlarge.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/06/touring.html.

Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2023/10/testing.html.

Reference 3: https://www.pick.hu/en/products/original-hungarian-wintersalami/.

Reference 4: Ambani’s big rich Indian wedding brings global elite to Mumbai: Financial capital set to descend into gridlock during marriage festivities for son of billionaire industrialist - Chris Kay, Financial Times - 2024.

Reference 5: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/05/first-impressions.html.