I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
to serve with them.

I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
--

modom

http://www.koyote.com/users/modom/home.html

modom (palindrome guy) <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote:

>I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
>to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
>hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
>to serve with them.

>I wonder what's the right way to cook them.

They are, AFAIK no different than other broad beans, also called
fava beans. The stereotypical dish to make from fava beans
is foul mammadas, an Arab dish (spellings vary), which I happened
to make this afternoon. They can also be used in falafel.
In Mexico they are roasted into a dried, salted snack not unlike
cornnuts.

As for preparing cooked beans from dried, it is done exactly the
same way you'd do common beans -- soak, rinse, then boil till tender,
salting the water if you like.

Serving them with a roasted green chile salsa sounds ... unusual.

Steve

"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
...
>I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
> to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
> hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
> to serve with them.
>
> I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
> --
>
> modom


You should read what you posted. Really. You should.

modom (palindrome guy) wrote:
> I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
> to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
> hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
> to serve with them.
>
> I wonder what's the right way to cook them.

Mexican broad beans? I dunno, but I'll ask the next Mexican broad I
see.

I apologize in advance.


--
Blinky RLU 297263
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://blinkynet.net/comp/uip5.html

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:44:11 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> wrote:

>"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
.. .
>>I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
>> to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
>> hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
>> to serve with them.
>>
>> I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
>> --
>>
>> modom
>
>
>You should read what you posted. Really. You should.
>
Okay. I did. The "x" is missing in Mexican. Is that your point?
--

modom

http://www.koyote.com/users/modom/home.html

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:24:14 +0000 (UTC),
(Steve Pope) wrote:

>modom (palindrome guy) <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote:
>
>>I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
>>to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
>>hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
>>to serve with them.
>
>>I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
>
>They are, AFAIK no different than other broad beans, also called
>fava beans. The stereotypical dish to make from fava beans
>is foul mammadas, an Arab dish (spellings vary), which I happened
>to make this afternoon. They can also be used in falafel.
>In Mexico they are roasted into a dried, salted snack not unlike
>cornnuts.
>
>As for preparing cooked beans from dried, it is done exactly the
>same way you'd do common beans -- soak, rinse, then boil till tender,
>salting the water if you like.
>
>Serving them with a roasted green chile salsa sounds ... unusual.
>
>Steve

It was -- um -- unusual. To a fault. I'm going to have to either get
better at cooking them or stop cooking them. Currently, the latter
option feels somehow right. Is foul mammadas difficult to cook?

I've had the roasted bean snack you mentioned, but it escaped my mind
as so many things are able to do of late.

--

modom

http://www.koyote.com/users/modom/home.html

modom (palindrome guy) <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote:

>On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:24:14 +0000 (UTC),

>>Serving them with a roasted green chile salsa sounds ... unusual.

>It was -- um -- unusual. To a fault. I'm going to have to either get
>better at cooking them or stop cooking them. Currently, the latter
>option feels somehow right. Is foul mammadas difficult to cook?

My usual recipe is below. Mostly people really like it.

Steve

*******************************

Foul Mudammas

30 oz. fava beans (canned/rinsed or cooked from dried beans)
15 oz. garbanzo beans (canned/rinsed or cooked from dried beans)
2 T olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 medium size tomatoes, diced (and peeled if you like) (about 8 oz)
1 T fresh or 1 t dried thyme
6 oz preserved lemon, rinsed/diced
1/4 cup lemon juice

Heat garlic gently in 1 T olive oil in a heavy pan. Add tomatoes,
thyme, and half of the preserved lemon. Simmer for five minutes.
Stir in beans and remaining preserved lemon. Cook covered on medium
heat at least 20 minutes, stirring now and then (or if you prefer,
bake). Before serving, add remaining olive oil and lemon juice.

It is traditional to garnish this dish with carmelized onions.

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 00:36:50 +0000 (UTC),
(Steve Pope) wrote:

>modom (palindrome guy) <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:24:14 +0000 (UTC),
>
>>>Serving them with a roasted green chile salsa sounds ... unusual.
>
>>It was -- um -- unusual. To a fault. I'm going to have to either get
>>better at cooking them or stop cooking them. Currently, the latter
>>option feels somehow right. Is foul mammadas difficult to cook?
>
>My usual recipe is below. Mostly people really like it.
>
>Steve
>
>*******************************
>
>Foul Mudammas
>
>30 oz. fava beans (canned/rinsed or cooked from dried beans)
>15 oz. garbanzo beans (canned/rinsed or cooked from dried beans)
>2 T olive oil
>4 cloves of garlic, chopped
>4 medium size tomatoes, diced (and peeled if you like) (about 8 oz)
>1 T fresh or 1 t dried thyme
>6 oz preserved lemon, rinsed/diced
>1/4 cup lemon juice
>
>Heat garlic gently in 1 T olive oil in a heavy pan. Add tomatoes,
>thyme, and half of the preserved lemon. Simmer for five minutes.
>Stir in beans and remaining preserved lemon. Cook covered on medium
>heat at least 20 minutes, stirring now and then (or if you prefer,
>bake). Before serving, add remaining olive oil and lemon juice.
>
>It is traditional to garnish this dish with carmelized onions.

Thanks, Steve. This sounds really good.
--

modom

http://www.koyote.com/users/modom/home.html

"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:44:11 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> > wrote:
>
>>"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
. ..
>>>I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
>>> to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
>>> hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
>>> to serve with them.
>>>
>>> I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
>>> --
>>>
>>> modom
>>
>>
>>You should read what you posted. Really. You should.
>>
> Okay. I did. The "x" is missing in Mexican. Is that your point?
> --
>
> modom


You wonder what's the right way to cook them. So, you start cooking them,
and then you ask what's the right way to cook them.

Hmmm.....

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:33:37 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> wrote:

>"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
.. .
>> On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:44:11 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
...
>>>>I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
>>>> to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
>>>> hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
>>>> to serve with them.
>>>>
>>>> I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
>>>
>>>You should read what you posted. Really. You should.
>>>
>> Okay. I did. The "x" is missing in Mexican. Is that your point?
>> --
>
>You wonder what's the right way to cook them. So, you start cooking them,
>and then you ask what's the right way to cook them.
>
>Hmmm.....
>
Oh. I see.
--

modom

http://www.koyote.com/users/modom/home.html

Steve Pope wrote:
> modom (palindrome guy) <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:24:14 +0000 (UTC),
>
> >>Serving them with a roasted green chile salsa sounds ... unusual.
>
> >It was -- um -- unusual. To a fault. I'm going to have to either get
> >better at cooking them or stop cooking them. Currently, the latter
> >option feels somehow right. Is foul mammadas difficult to cook?
>
> My usual recipe is below. Mostly people really like it.
>

I always like ful medammas when I have it in middle eastern
restaurants, but I've reliably had a problem cooking dried favas for
ful medammas. They have a skin that never softens. Is there an easy
way to remove the skins?

Thanks

-bwg

> Steve

-bwg > wrote:

>I always like ful medammas when I have it in middle eastern
>restaurants, but I've reliably had a problem cooking dried favas for
>ful medammas. They have a skin that never softens. Is there an easy
>way to remove the skins?

Dunno. I've cooked them from dry few enough times that my experience
is not yet consistent. I do recall one batch where the skin
was sort of separating, but it was edible. Another batch turned
out to be giant-sized beans. Usually I use canned favas.

Steve

Steve Pope wrote:
> -bwg > wrote:
>
> >I always like ful medammas when I have it in middle eastern
> >restaurants, but I've reliably had a problem cooking dried favas for
> >ful medammas. They have a skin that never softens. Is there an easy
> >way to remove the skins?
>
> Dunno. I've cooked them from dry few enough times that my experience
> is not yet consistent. I do recall one batch where the skin
> was sort of separating, but it was edible. Another batch turned
> out to be giant-sized beans. Usually I use canned favas.

When I cooked them from scratch, the skin was edible but not pleasant.
I guess canned is the way to go. I'll ask the grocer next time I'm at
his store.

> Steve

Steve Pope wrote:
> -bwg > wrote:
>
> >I always like ful medammas when I have it in middle eastern
> >restaurants, but I've reliably had a problem cooking dried favas for
> >ful medammas. They have a skin that never softens. Is there an easy
> >way to remove the skins?
>
> Dunno. I've cooked them from dry few enough times that my experience
> is not yet consistent. I do recall one batch where the skin
> was sort of separating, but it was edible. Another batch turned
> out to be giant-sized beans. Usually I use canned favas.

When I cooked them from scratch, the skin was edible but not pleasant.
I guess canned is the way to go. I'll ask the grocer next time I'm at
his store.

> Steve

-bwg wrote:

> When I cooked them from scratch, the skin was edible but not pleasant.
> I guess canned is the way to go. I'll ask the grocer next time I'm at
> his store.

Favas have two skin layers, and you have to remove the
outer one.

Betcha you were eating them with the wrappers left
on. Betcha.

--
Reg

Reg wrote:
> -bwg wrote:
>
> > When I cooked them from scratch, the skin was edible but not pleasant.
> > I guess canned is the way to go. I'll ask the grocer next time I'm at
> > his store.
>
> Favas have two skin layers, and you have to remove the
> outer one.
>
> Betcha you were eating them with the wrappers left
> on. Betcha.

I'm pretty certain that's the case. Which brings us back to my
original question: Is there an easy
way to remove the skins? Maybe rubbing them together vigorously
between my hands between the soaking and the cooking? The skins stick
pretty good when the favas are fresh, and peeling them is a real pain
in the ass. It's worth the work for a treat a few times a year, but
it's a lot of work for "a pot of beans."

Thanks,
-bwg

>
> --
> Reg

-bwg > wrote:

> I always like ful medammas when I have it in middle eastern
> restaurants, but I've reliably had a problem cooking dried favas for
> ful medammas. They have a skin that never softens. Is there an easy
> way to remove the skins?

Here is a description:
<http://www.dcfoodies.com/2006/04/fava_beans_a_ho.html>. You may have
to soak or blanch them first.

Victor

-bwg wrote:

> Reg wrote:
>
>>-bwg wrote:
>>
>>
>>>When I cooked them from scratch, the skin was edible but not pleasant.
>>>I guess canned is the way to go. I'll ask the grocer next time I'm at
>>>his store.
>>
>>Favas have two skin layers, and you have to remove the
>>outer one.
>>
>>Betcha you were eating them with the wrappers left
>>on. Betcha.
>
> I'm pretty certain that's the case. Which brings us back to my
> original question: Is there an easy
> way to remove the skins?

I spent about 45 minutes this weekend skinning favas with
a paring knife. I love them, but they're a pain. Everyone
from my grandma to Mario Batali would answer no to your
question.

I agree, though. There outta be a better way.

Back to the original point... you really should try
them again. Last time didn't count. The season's
coming up, too. Fresh favas available soon. The good
news is that fresh are a bit easier to skin.

--
Reg

-bwg > wrote:

>When I cooked them from scratch, the skin was edible but not pleasant.
>I guess canned is the way to go. I'll ask the grocer next time I'm at
>his store.

If you have a middle eastern grocery store, they will have
them there, sometimes as little as $0.49 per 15-oz can.
They are produced either in the mideast, or in Canada; both
of these seem equally good.

Steve

On 2007-03-18, modom (palindrome guy) <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote:
> I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans.

Broad beans. Is that anything like chick peas?

nb

JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
> "modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
> ...
>> On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:44:11 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> "modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing
>>>> how to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a
>>>>
>>>> I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
>>>> --
>>>> modom
>>>
>>> You should read what you posted. Really. You should.
>>>
>
> You wonder what's the right way to cook them. So, you start cooking
> them, and then you ask what's the right way to cook them.
>
Hey, it's no worse than (and I haven't seen this in a while) someone who
posts saying they have dinner guests arriving in 1-2 hours and they want to
make [whatever] but they don't know how! I can't imagine serving a meal to
guests that I've never prepared before.

Jill

In article >,
(Steve Pope) wrote:

> -bwg > wrote:
>
> >I always like ful medammas when I have it in middle eastern
> >restaurants, but I've reliably had a problem cooking dried favas for
> >ful medammas. They have a skin that never softens. Is there an easy
> >way to remove the skins?
>
> Dunno. I've cooked them from dry few enough times that my experience
> is not yet consistent. I do recall one batch where the skin
> was sort of separating, but it was edible. Another batch turned
> out to be giant-sized beans. Usually I use canned favas.
>
> Steve

For cooked dry favas, you could try putting the beans under a towel and
bopping them with a mallet and then forcing the mess through a colander
or sieve to get a puree. But, imho the dry beans have a very boring
flavor. Fresh favas, otoh, are well worth some trouble. You can parboil
them and then skin them. I like them sauted (skin-on) in oo and garlic
until the skins start to split- the inside is soft and the skins crispy.

D.M.

Donald Martinich > wrote:

>For cooked dry favas, you could try putting the beans under a towel and
>bopping them with a mallet and then forcing the mess through a colander
>or sieve to get a puree. But, imho the dry beans have a very boring
>flavor. Fresh favas, otoh, are well worth some trouble.

I do not find dried (by that I mean canned or otherwise cooked
from dried) favas boring at all. They are nothing like
fresh favas I admit, but have an excellent flavor that is
probably more pronounced than any other bean.

Either one of course will lead to favism in suspectible individuals.

Steve

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 09:29:43 -0500, "modom (palindrome guy)"
<moc.etoyok@modom> wrote:

>On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 12:33:37 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> wrote:
>
>>"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
. ..
>>> On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 22:44:11 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>>"modom (palindrome guy)" <moc.etoyok@modom> wrote in message
m...
>>>>>I just picked up a pack of dried Meican broad beans. Not knowing how
>>>>> to cook them, I've got them simmering on the stove with a small ham
>>>>> hock and some bay leaves. I plan to make a roasted green chile salsa
>>>>> to serve with them.
>>>>>
>>>>> I wonder what's the right way to cook them.
>>>>
>>>>You should read what you posted. Really. You should.
>>>>
>>> Okay. I did. The "x" is missing in Mexican. Is that your point?
>>> --
>>
>>You wonder what's the right way to cook them. So, you start cooking them,
>>and then you ask what's the right way to cook them.
>>
>>Hmmm.....
>>
>Oh. I see.

I've never heard of Mexican broad bean before and a dried one is even
more out of my relm of experience. What are they really? Fava beans?


--
See return address to reply by email

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:51:04 -0600, "jmcquown"
> wrote:

>JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>>
>> You wonder what's the right way to cook them. So, you start cooking
>> them, and then you ask what's the right way to cook them.
>>
>Hey, it's no worse than (and I haven't seen this in a while) someone who
>posts saying they have dinner guests arriving in 1-2 hours and they want to
>make [whatever] but they don't know how! I can't imagine serving a meal to
>guests that I've never prepared before.
>
I do that all the time, but I don't start wondering how to do it a
couple of hours before the guests arrive.

--
See return address to reply by email

sf wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:51:04 -0600, "jmcquown"
> > wrote:
>
>> Hey, it's no worse than (and I haven't seen this in a while) someone
>> who posts saying they have dinner guests arriving in 1-2 hours and
>> they want to make [whatever] but they don't know how! I can't
>> imagine serving a meal to guests that I've never prepared before.
>>
> I do that all the time, but I don't start wondering how to do it a
> couple of hours before the guests arrive.

I still prefer a trial run before serving something to guests. Of course, I
don't entertain anymore so it's a moot point for me. John doesn't mind if I
experiment on him since he is usually brainstorming with me about what we
should cook and how , especially if we're in one of those aforementioned
studio suites with a mini-kitchen and the limitations it may impose.

Jill