July 2, 2018
There are many varieties of beans that are meant to be eaten fresh from the garden and in their entirety, together with the pod, and these are known as edible pod-beans.
All beans originate from Peru, and were first brought to Europe by Spaniards in the 16th Century. In the 19th cultivation of beans spread across central Europe, and became very popular among the Slovenes as well.
The most common such beans that grow in Slovenian gardens at the moment, and can also be purchased at markets and stores, belong to the type of snap beans, which used to be called string beans after a tough string along the seam of the pod that needs to be removed. The string has been bred out in most of the varieties by now, but we can still find it occasionally so that the beans need stringing before being cooked.
Apart from this, pod-beans are easy to prepare and are rich enough to be eaten (cooked) as a single dish on a hot summer day.
Ingredients:
½ - 1 kg of pod-beans
4 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of parsley
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt
As already mentioned above, the pod-beans need to be cleared of strings first, if they happen to have them. We found a string in about every 10 of the ones we bought. You simply cut the tips of the pod on each side and if it happens to have a string it will tend to stick to the cut end, and you will be able to pull it down the bean and then off.
Wash the pods if you bought them at the market, then cover in water and place on the stove. We boil it for about 15-20 minutes, but not longer than 30 or they’ll soften up and start falling apart.
Drain the beans and let them cool down a little. They shouldn’t be hot when seasoned. Chop up the garlic and parsley.
When the beans are sufficiently cooled down, add chopped parsley, garlic, salt, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Mix the ingredients, and your light summer lunch is ready to be eaten.
Dober tek!
