Broad beans

Category: Food

Type

Voluntary

Introduction and description

Vicia faba, also known as the broad bean, fava bean, faba bean, field bean, bell bean, or tic bean, is a species of bean (Fabaceae) native to North Africa, southwest and south Asia, and extensively cultivated elsewhere. 

The term "fava bean" (from the Italian fava, meaning "broad bean") is used in some English-speaking countries such as the US, but "broad bean" is the most common name in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

Broad beans have a long tradition of cultivation, being among the most ancient plants in cultivation. Along with lentils, peas, and chickpeas, they are believed to have become part of the eastern Mediterranean diet around 6000 BC or earlier. They are still often grown to fix nitrogen in the soil.  The allotments of both war time England and after the war were awash with broad beans, every plot had them, because they were delicious, relatively easy to grow [apart from the black fly] and helped the soil in the 'allotment rotation system'.

Broad beans are delicious steamed, but a high point, when my father grew vegetables, was to have young broad beans steamed and then added to parsley sauce [fresh parsley chopped and a simple white sauce made with milk].  This was served with boiled ham.

Broad bean, Pea,  black olives and edamame bean salad

Description

The broad bean plant can greatly vary in height depending on variety.  Dwarf broad beans – good in windy areas - may only be half a meter in height, but there are some that can be almost as tall as a small woman.  They usually need staking if they are tall.  The flowers can be red [rare] or white and have the most glorious scent.  One of my childhood memories is of driving past broad bean fields in the Fens and revelling in the scent wafting towards us.  Bees and insects as a consequence love broad beans, and broad beans have suffered from the demise of bees.  The beans themselves can be found in a leathery pod, which is green maturing to blackish-brown, [at which point the beans are almost inedible].  The beans can be green or white and are cushioned within the pod by a soft downy interior.

Cultivation

Broad beans are hardy, tolerant of harsh and cold climates, but do not grow well in hot climates.  Broad beans will not grow well at temperature below 4.4 °C (39.9 °F) or above 23.8 °C (74.8 °F).

They are an immensely useful crop as being a legume, they fix nitrogen in the soil.  They can be grown in soils with high salinity, and a wide range of pH values (4.5–8.3) as well as in clay soil. However, they do prefer rich loams. The beans are certainly more nutritious and tasty when they have been grown in soil that has been mixed with well rotted manure or garden compost.

Beans can be planted in autumn to overwinter and become as a consequence more resilient to black fly and some of the fungal diseases.  Sown in November, seeds will germinate within two to four weeks and young plants should overwinter and recommence growth as soon as conditions are favourable in spring

Beans can also be sown in pots under cover in February for planting out in spring or direct into the ground in March, April and even early May, for harvests throughout the summer. Pot-raised plants are especially useful where soils are wet or rich in clay (as these soils can lead to seeds rotting in the ground).  A foot between plants and two feet between rows.

The main disadvantage with broad beans is the number of insects and fungal infections they seem to attract.  They are far more resilient in nutrient rich, free draining soils and when allowed to over winter.

Broad bean plants are highly susceptible to, for example black bean aphid, Aphis fabae, and a wide variety of other aphids as well as spider mites, thrips and leaf miners; aphids in particular don’t like being drenched with water mixed with washing up liquid – whether this is an ecologically sound solution I don’t know, but it worked for my Dad.

Faba bean rust, also called Broad bean rust, is one of the most common fungal pathogens affecting broad bean leaves. Chocolate spot fungus, is also a common fungal pathogen as is powdery mildew, and downy mildew. Emergence of all the fungal diseases is favoured by warm, humid conditions; poor soil quality especially low levels of potassium and phosphorus in the soil; and overcrowded plants that limit air circulation.

Medicinal use and nutrients

Broad beans have a range of health benefits that are little known and little publicised.  A short summary is provided below, however, Dr Duke’s phytochemical database is worth exploring to see the 580 or so medicinal activities that the broad bean possesses.  An observation is also provided which gives you a snapshot of those activities on a certain date.

Parkinson’s disease and Epilepsy

Broad beans are rich in L-dopa, a substance used medically in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. An Italian scientist first isolated the chemical levodopa from seedlings of the fava bean in 1910-1913, finding that the beans are a natural source of levodopa. Today, the concept of DA replacement with levodopa is uncontested, with levodopa being the "gold standard" of modern treatment of PD.  The activities and other chemicals contributing from Dr Duke’s database are shown below:

• Anti-parkinsonian - ASCORBIC-ACID 1 g 2-3x/day , DOPA , L-DOPA 250-8,000 g/man/day , METHIONINE 1-5 g/day , NIACIN 100 mg/day ,PHENYLALANINE 200-500 mg/day/man , TRYPTOPHAN 2 g 3 x/day , TYROSINE 100 mg/kg/day
• Antispasmodic - ASCORBIC-ACID 500-5,000 mg/day , CAFFEIC-ACID EC50=3.4-15 uM , DAIDZEIN , FERULIC-ACID , GENISTEIN IC50=34 uM , KAEMPFEROL , MAGNESIUM , NIACIN 100 mg 2x/day , P-COUMARIC-ACID , POTASSIUM

Analgesic and Antiinflammatory

Broad beans have natural pain killing and anti-inflammatory activity, they also have a mild sedative and relaxing effect.

• Analgesic - ASCORBIC-ACID 5-10 g/day , CAFFEIC-ACID , FERULIC-ACID , L-DOPA , MEDICARPIN , THIAMIN 1-4 g/day , TRYPTOPHAN 750 mg/4x/day/orl/man
• Anti-inflammatory - ASCORBIC-ACID , BETA-SITOSTEROL , BETULIN , BUTEIN , CAFFEIC-ACID , COPPER , DAIDZEIN , EPICATECHIN , FERULIC-ACID , GENISTEIN , KAEMPFEROL 20 mg/kg , KAEMPFEROL-7-GLUCOSIDE , LEUCODELPHINIDIN , LINOLEIC-ACID IC50=31 uM , MAGNESIUM 100 mg 4 x/day , MUFA IC50=21 uM , OLEIC-ACID IC50=21 uM , STIGMASTEROL , GALLOCATECHIN-(4ALPHA->8)-EPIGALLOCATECHIN 1/4 indomethacin , SALICYLATES
• Anti-radicular - ASCORBIC-ACID , BETA-CAROTENE , CAFFEIC-ACID 10 uM , DAIDZEIN 1/4 quercetin , EPIGALLOCATECHIN , FERULIC-ACID EC50=9-15 ug/ml , KAEMPFEROL 7 x quercetin , P-HYDROXY-BENZOIC-ACID

Skin problems

A range of chemicals help with various skin problems including the following:

• Antiacne - BETA-CAROTENE , LINOLEIC-ACID , PUFA , SULFUR
• Antialopecic - BIOTIN , LINOLEIC-ACID , OLEIC-ACID ,PALMITIC-ACID
• Antidermatitic - BIOTIN 3 mg/2x/day , FUMARIC-ACID , NIACIN , PANTOTHENIC-ACID , PROCYANIDIN-B-4
• Antieczemic - ASCORBIC-ACID 3.5-5 g/day , LINOLEIC-ACID , METHIONINE , PUFA
• Anti-psoriatic - BETA-CAROTENE , FUMARIC-ACID

Blood circulatory diseases and heart problems

Broad beans have a wide range of activity to help those with heart problems, for example:

• Blood thinning - ASCORBIC-ACID , CAFFEIC-ACID ,EPICATECHIN IC94=200 ug/ml , FERULIC-ACID , GENISTEIN 1-10 ug/ml , KAEMPFEROL 30 uM , MAGNESIUM 400 mg/day , SALICYLATES
• Antiatherosclerotic - ASCORBIC-ACID , CALCIUM 500 mg/day , CITRIC-ACID , GENISTEIN , MAGNESIUM 400 mg/day , MALIC-ACID
• Antihypertension - ARGININE , ASCORBIC-ACID , CALCIUM , FIBER , MAGNESIUM , POTASSIUM , TRYPTOPHAN
• Antiarrythmic - CALCIUM 500-1,500 mg ,DAIDZEIN ,FERULIC-ACID ,MAGNESIUM 400 mg/day, POTASSIUM
• Cardioprotective - ASCORBIC-ACID , COPPER , FIBER , GENISTEIN , MAGNESIUM , NIACIN , POTASSIUM 3,000-5,000 mg
• Diuretic - ARGININE , ASCORBIC-ACID 700 mg/man/orl , ASPARAGINE , CAFFEIC-ACID , CALCIUM , FIBER , GLYCERIC-ACID , KAEMPFEROL , L-DOPA 1-2 g/man/day , MAGNESIUM , POTASSIUM
• Hypotensive - ASCORBIC-ACID 1,000 mg/man/day , CALCIUM 1 g/day , CHOLINE , DAIDZEIN ivn , FIBER 10 g/man/day/orl , KAEMPFEROL , L-DOPA , MAGNESIUM 260-500 mg/day , PHYLLOQUINONE, POTASSIUM , TRYPTOPHAN 3 g/day
• Vasodilator - ARGININE , ASCORBIC-ACID , CALCIUM , FIBER , KAEMPFEROL , MAGNESIUM , NIACIN  , POTASSIUM

However, additional activity appears to be obtained again from the presence of L-DOPA

Antifungal

Various parts of the broad bean have antifungal properties and can also act as a Fungicide, for example - CAFFEIC-ACID MIC=0.4 mg/ml , CHLORINE , COUMESTROL EC50=>100 , DAIDZEIN >100 , FERULIC-ACID , GENISTEIN 2.5 mM , IODINE , KAEMPFEROL 20 ug/ml , MEDICARPIN ED50=25-66 ug/ml , P-COUMARIC-ACID , PHYLLOQUINONE , SINAPIC-ACID ,WYERONE IC90=500 ug/ml , WYERONE-EPOXIDE ED50=<50 , (-)-JASMONIC-ACID , WYERONE-ACID ED50=<50

Bone and skeletal problems

Broad beans have both antirheumatic and Antiarthritic  activity, for example via:- ASCORBIC-ACID 0.2-1 g/day ,BETA-CAROTENE ,CALCIUM 1,000 mg/day, COPPER ,LINOLEIC-ACID ,MAGNESIUM, PANTOTHENIC-ACID 500-2,000 mg/day ,SULFUR

Antibacterial

A number of chemicals in broad beans are natural antibiotics: -  ASCORBIC-ACID , BETA-SITOSTEROL , CAFFEIC-ACID , CHLORINE , CITRIC-ACID , EPICATECHIN MIC=>1,000 ug/ml , FERULIC-ACID , IODINE , KAEMPFEROL 20 ug/ml , MALIC-ACID , MEDICARPIN ED50=10 ug/ml , P-COUMARIC-ACID , P-HYDROXY-BENZOIC-ACID , SINAPIC-ACID , FABATIN

Depression and anxiety

We have an observation that shows that broad beans were traditionally avoided in traditional Iranian medicine if one had depression.  By contrast, Dr Duke’s database shows chemical content that is both anti-anxiety and anti-depression.  Given the number of minerals, vitamins and amino acids that broad beans also contain, we consider Dr Duke’s analysis to be closer to the true picture, however, we wonder whether the Iranian classification was due to the favism in that country

• Anxiolytic - CAFFEIC-ACID , CALCIUM 500-1,500 mg/day , GLUTAMIC-ACID , MAGNESIUM 500-750 mg/day , MEDICARPIN , PHOSPHORUS , POTASSIUM
• Antidepressant - ASCORBIC-ACID 2,000 mg/day , CAFFEIC-ACID , CALCIUM , MAGNESIUM , PHENYLALANINE 50-4,000 mg/day/man , POTASSIUM , TRYPTOPHAN 1-3 g/3x/day/orl/man

Diabetes

Brad beans have Antidiabetic activity via  - ASCORBIC-ACID , CHOLINE , COPPER 2-4 mg/day , EPICATECHIN 30 mg/kg rat , FIBER , MAGNESIUM 400-800 mg/man/day , NIACIN

Antiviral

Broad beans have extensive general and specific anti-viral activity:

• AntiEBV – EPICATECHIN
• Antiflu - BETULIN , CAFFEIC-ACID
• Antiherpetic - ASCORBIC-ACID 1-5 g/day , CAFFEIC-ACID 50 ug/ml , CHLORINE , FERULIC-ACID, KAEMPFEROL 23-92 ug/ml , LYSINE 0.5-3 g/day , THIAMIN
• AntiHIV - BETULIN 6.1 uM , CAFFEIC-ACID EC50=200 ug/ml , EPICATECHIN EC50=2 ug/ml
• Antiviral - ASCORBIC-ACID 1-5 g/day , BETA-SITOSTEROL , BETULIN 6.1 uM , CAFFEIC-ACID IC50=62.5 ug/ml , CHLORINE , DAIDZEIN , EPICATECHIN , FERULIC-ACID , GENISTEIN , IODINE , KAEMPFEROL 23-92 ug/ml , STIGMASTEROL

Broad bean and potato patty

Nutrients

Broad beans are extraordinarily nutritious.  Along with the minerals and vitamins shown below they also supply the following amino acids. HISTIDINE , ISOLEUCINE , LEUCINE , LYSINE , METHIONINE , THREONINE , TRYPTOPHAN , VALINE.  In many cases, the health and healing activities are due to the nutrients they possess.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference; Release 28 slightly revised May, 2016   Software v.2.6.1;    Full Report (All Nutrients):  16052, Broadbeans (fava beans), mature seeds, raw ;    Food Group: Legumes and Legume Products ;   Scientific Name:  Vicia faba

 

Nutrient	Unit	Value per 100gms
Water	g	10.98
Protein	g	26.12
Total lipid (fat)	g	1.53
Fiber, total dietary	g	25.0
Sugars, total	g	5.70
MINERALS
Calcium, Ca	mg	103
Iron, Fe	mg	6.70
Magnesium, Mg	mg	192
Phosphorus, P	mg	421
Potassium, K	mg	1062
Sodium, Na	mg	13
Zinc, Zn	mg	3.14
Copper, Cu	mg	0.824
Manganese, Mn	mg	1.626
Selenium, Se	µg	8.2
VITAMINS
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	mg	1.4
Thiamin	mg	0.555
Riboflavin	mg	0.333
Niacin	mg	2.832
Pantothenic acid	mg	0.976
Vitamin B-6	mg	0.366
Folate, total	µg	423
Choline, total	mg	95.8
Vitamin B-12	µg	0.00
Vitamin A, RAE	µg	3
Retinol	µg	0
Carotene, beta	µg	32
Carotene, alpha	µg	0
Cryptoxanthin, beta	µg	0
Vitamin A, IU	IU	53
Lycopene	µg	0
Lutein + zeaxanthin	µg	0
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)	mg	0.05
Vitamin D (D2 + D3)	µg	0.0
Vitamin K (phylloquinone)	µg	9.0
FATTY ACIDS
Fatty acids, total saturated	g	0.254
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	g	0.303
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	g	0.627
Fatty acids, total trans	g	0.000

Broad beans are a good source of minerals like iron, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium. At 1062 mg or 23% of daily recommended levels, they are one of the highest plant sources of potassium.

Favism

Although broad beans are generally a healthy food, there is one case where care must be taken.  Favism is a disorder characterized by a ‘haemolytic reaction’ to consumption of broad beans,  that is, the person gets anaemia. Its name is derived from the Italian name of the broad bean (fava). 

It is caused by an enzyme deficiency, which in turn is caused by hereditary disease.  The enzyme deficiency is called  G6PD deficiency  - Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.  G6PD is a metabolic enzyme especially important in red blood cell metabolism. In effect it is a type of Blood circulatory system disease.

All individuals with favism show G6PD deficiency. However, not all individuals with G6PD deficiency show favism. For example, in a small study of 757 Saudi men, more than 42% showed a variant of G6PD deficiency, but none displayed symptoms of favism. GPD6 deficiency is an X-linked recessive hereditary disease.  The most famous sufferer of favism according to all the scholarly research, was Pythagoras.  More details can be found by following the link above.

 According to Wikipedia, G6PD deficiency is “estimated to affect 400 million people worldwide. The highest prevalence rates (with gene frequencies in the range of 5 to 25 percent) are found in tropical Africa, in the Middle East, in tropical and subtropical Asia, in some areas of the Mediterranean, and in Papua New Guinea… The remarkable geographic correlation between the prevalence of G6PD deficiency and the past and present endemicity of Plasmodium falciparum malaria strongly suggests that the former confers resistance against the latter. ”.

Method

Broad beans are eaten while still young and tender, enabling harvesting to begin as early as the middle of spring for plants started under glass or overwintered in a protected location, but even the main crop sown in early spring will be ready from mid to late summer. The immature pods can also be cooked and eaten.

Broad beans are widely eaten all over the world, as a salted snack, dips, in stews, in salads, in soups and other dishes – including wholly vegetarian dishes as they are a source of protein.  Gulban , for example, is made of peeled, half beans cooked with other grains such as wheat, peas and chickpeas and eaten as a vegetarian main meal.   In the Sichuan cuisine of China, broad beans, also known as Sichuan beans (川豆 chuāndòu) are combined with soybeans and chili peppers to produce a spicy fermented bean paste called doubanjiang.

Fūl is a very well known dish known throughout the Middle eastern.  There are different versions.  Egyptian fūl for example tastes different from the Lebanese-Palestinian version.  The beans are cooked whole with their skins until soft, usually mashed, salted and then either eaten with a sauce or eaten plain.  The dish may be made with dried beans in which case the beans are pre-soaked.  It may be accompanied by olive oil, butter, samna (clarified butter), buffalo milk, béchamel sauce, basturma (pressed and dried beef fillet seasoned with cumin, garlic, and other spices), fried eggs, tomato sauce, garlic sauce, tahini, fresh lime juice, or other ingredients.

One of the novel uses for broad bean flour is to make gluten free pasta.  :

Amandine Chaignot  John Dory, mousseron mushrooms, broad beans and wild strawberries

For the dressing 2 punnets wild strawberries 1-2 tbsp olive oil 1 puntarella (Italian chicory), finely chopped salt and pepper For the vegetables 1.5kg/3lb 5oz small broad beans, podded knob of butter, for frying drizzle olive oil, for frying 1 shallot, finely chopped 300g/10½oz mousseron mushrooms, cleaned salt and pepper For the fish 4 John Dory fillets (about 200g/7oz each) 1 egg yolk, beaten 200g/7oz dried white breadcrumbs knob of butter, for frying drizzle olive oil, for frying 1 sprig thyme 1 garlic clove, squashed and left whole salt and pepper Lemon balm cress, lambs lettuce cress, bergamot cress, apple blossom cress, to garnish

For the dressing, reserve around 12 of the most beautiful strawberries and mash the others with a little olive oil. Add the chopped puntarella and mix. For the vegetables, blanch the beans in a small saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes and then drain. When cool enough to handle, pop the beans out of their leathery skins by squeezing gently. Discard the skins. For the fish, brush the skinless side of each fillet with beaten egg. Cover the same side with breadcrumbs. Heat some oil and butter in a large frying pan with the garlic and thyme (you may need to use two pans). Fry the fish with the breaded side down. Cook for 6 minutes over a low heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat some butter and oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry the shallots for 2 minutes then add the mousseron mushrooms and broad beans. Cook for 4 minutes over a medium heat. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide the vegetables between serving plates, gently lay the fish on top, and add the dressing to the side. Garnish with the reserved strawberries and the cresses.

 

Broad Bean Salad

1 good double handful of broad beans 1 lemon 1 fist-sized lump of feta cheese 1 sprig of mint The best olive oil you can lay your hands on

Remove the beans from the pods and throw them into a pot of unsalted boiling water. Cook for no more than one minute then drain and refresh in cold water until completely cool. Tear a slit in one end of the bean’s skin and pinch the other end, releasing the two little dark green baby beans from within. Grate the zest of the lemon directly over the bowl with the beans in and crumble in the feta and add a glug or two of olive oil. Chop the mint, throw it in, give the whole lot a quick stir then serve.

Broad beans, herbs, and bacon

shelled broad beans 250g spring onions 6 dill a small bunch mint a small bunch white wine vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil smoked back bacon 4 rashers

Cook the broad beans in lightly salted boiling water for 4 or 5 minutes. Cool them under running water, pop the bright green beans from their skins into a bowl. Finely slice the spring onions and drop them into the bowl. Fry bacon until fat is golden and crisp.  Keep warm. Chop enough dill to give you a couple of heaped tablespoons add to bowl. Pull a loose handful of mint leaves from their stalks and add them to the bowl. Add salt and black pepper to taste, stir in enough olive oil to cover.  Divide bowl contents between two plates. Put a couple of rashers of bacon on each. Deglaze pan in which bacon was cooked with the white wine vinegar and pour over the bean salad.  Serve.

 Broad bean and goats cheese frittata

 

 Broad bean, pea, lemon and artichoke salad

1 jar pre-prepared artichoke hearts in olive oil 125ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil 2 shallots, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 360 g broad beans, podded (1 kg unpodded) 120 g (1 cup) frozen peas ½ cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped 1 lemon, zested, juiced, plus extra wedges, to serve grated or sliced parmesan, to serve

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Cool.  Deglaze pan with vinegar. Transfer contents to wide shallow salad bowl.  Cook broad beans in salted water until soft [about 2 to 3 minutes] drain, cool add to bowl. Cook peas until soft, drain, cool, add to bowl, stirring each time.  Drain artichokes, add to bowl. Combine mint, parsley, lemon zest, juice and remaining 85 ml oil in a bowl, season and stir to combine. Stir through artichoke mixture in the bowl.  Serve with grilled fish or grilled chicken, and pasta as a main dish, or on its own as a lunch dish with lemon wedges, scattered with parmesan.

 

 Broad Bean, Pancetta And Feta Salad 

Nigel Slater’s Summer rolls

The large spring roll rice-paper wrappers are the ones to use here. They are available from Chinese and Vietnamese food shops and larger supermarkets. The rolls make much better eating if the beans are skinned.

500 gms broad beans [depodded weight] 300 gms rump steak olive oil 50 gms sprouted seeds washed and drained ½  cucumber, deseeded and cut into matchsticks 6 radishes, trimmed and halved lengthways 1 mild red chilli, deseeded and  cut into fine strips coriander a handful roughly chopped 6 summer roll wrappers For the dipping sauce: light soy 2 tbsp mirin 2 tbsp sesame oil 2 tsp red chilli 1 tsp, finely chopped coriander leaves

Boil beans in salted water until soft.  Drain and refresh them under cold running water.  If the beans are small, leave them in their skins. If they are any larger, then squeeze each one gently to pop it from its skin. Discard the skins and set the beans aside. Season the steak and grill or shallow-fry it in a little oil for 3 or 4 minutes on each side until nicely browned on the outside and pink on the inside. Slice the steak in half and then into thin strips. Set the meat aside to rest. Toss the cucumber, radishes and chilli together. Briefly soak the spring-roll wrappers in cold water, one at a time, until they are transparent. Gently place them, one at a time, on the work surface, then place a thick line of steak strips, cucumber, radish, chilli and sprouted seeds down the centre of each. Roll the wrapper around the filling, pulling it carefully into a thick, long cylinder, folding the ends over to seal. Place the rolls in a single layer on a serving dish. To make the dipping sauce, mix the soy and mirin together, then add the finely chopped chilli. Finely chop the coriander leaves then stir into the soy-sauce mixture.

 Broad bean, Roasted tomato,  pasta with parsley

Pork steaks with quick pickle and an asparagus and broad bean salad

For the pickle 125ml/4fl oz white balsamic or white wine vinegar 115g/4oz caster sugar 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced 1 small beetroot, peeled and thinly sliced 3 baby carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 1 sprig fresh fennel seeds or 1 tsp crushed dried fennel seeds 1 sprig fresh dill seeds or 1 tsp finely chopped dill For the salad 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and blanched until tender 75g/2½oz broad beans, blanched until tender, outer skin removed if desired 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper For the pork 1 tbsp olive oil 20g/¾oz butter 8 x pork leg steaks (about 800g/1lb 12oz) 125ml/4fl oz dry white wine

For the pickle, combine the vinegar and caster sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Place the fennel, beetroot, carrots, fennel and dill seeds in a heatproof bowl, pour over the balsamic mixture, mix well and set aside.   For the salad, combine all the ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.   For the pork, heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Season the pork steaks with salt, add to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on one side then 2 minutes on the other, or until cooked as desired. Transfer to a warm plate, cover with aluminium foil and leave to rest. Return the pan to a medium heat, add the wine and deglaze the pan by scraping up any burnt bits. Add the remaining butter, any juices from the resting pork and whisk until the sauce is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.   Serve the pork topped with the sauce and pickle with the salad alongside.

 

 

References and further reading

• Food Chem. 2013 Jan 15;136(2):538-45. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.08.068. Epub 2012 Sep 14. Effect of extrusion conditions on physicochemical and sensorial properties of corn-broad beans (Vicia faba) spaghetti type pasta.  Giménez MA1, González RJ, Wagner J, Torres R, Lobo MO, Samman NC.
• Planta Med. 1997 Jun;63(3):237-40. The influence of Vicia faba (broad beans) on urinary sodium excretion. Vered Y1, Grosskopf I, Palevitch D, Harsat A, Charach G, Weintraub MS, Graff E.

Related observations

Healing observations

• Bingen, Hildegard of - Broad Beans 022686
• Broad bean Nutrients from USDA 006996
• Dr Duke's list of activity for the chemical Daidzein 017895
• Dr Duke's list of Chemicals and their Biological Activities in: Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae) -- Broadbean, Faba Bean, Habas 022029
• Dr Duke's list of Plants containing ARGININE 017958
• Dr Duke's list of Plants containing GLYCINE 017955
• Dr Duke's list of Plants containing HISTIDINE 019061
• Dr Duke's list of Plants containing LYSINE 017957
• Dr Duke's list of Plants containing PHENYLALANINE 017936
• Dr Duke's list of Plants containing PROLINE 017956
• Dr Duke's list of Plants containing SULFUR 021408
• Dr Duke's list of Plants with Antipolyneuritic activity 022051
• Dr Duke's list of Plants with Metal chelating ability from FERULIC ACID - PART 2 018254
• Fabin, a novel calcyon-like and glucanase-like protein with mitogenic, antifungal and translation-inhibitory activities from broad beans 022044
• In vitro fermentation of lupin seeds (Lupinus albus) and broad beans (Vicia faba): dynamic modulation of the intestinal microbiota and metabolomic output 022045
• Motor effects of broad beans (Vicia faba) in Parkinson's disease, single dose studies 022043
• Omega-3 and omega-6 content of medicinal foods for depressed patients: implications from the Iranian Traditional Medicine 017018
• Radiocaesium and radiostrontium uptake by turnips and broad beans via leaf and root absorption 022042
• Vicia faba agglutinin, the lectin present in broad beans, stimulates differentiation of undifferentiated colon cancer cells 022046

Wisdom, Inspiration, Divine love & Bliss

• Crackers 004583

Environmental Influence

• Saint Joseph, broad beans and the making of rain in Sicily 022047