Barcelona Photoblog: vegetables
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vegetables. Show all posts

December 01, 2009

Peeling Fava Beans - Some Like it Raw

Peeling Fava Beans at La Boqueria market, Barcelona

One of the secret pleasures and most amusing of activities in life, at least for some Mediterranean peoples is to shell and then peel fava beans, broad beans or habas as we know them in Spanish and eat the fresh content, the seed or kernel raw, accompanied with some bread and sometimes other ingredients like cod, cheese, ham, etc. My wife loves them and refers to them as an authentic delicatessen. Bear in mind though that you may catch a disease called favism which causes anemia but only if you are genetically predisposed. Try to tell that to locals in Murcia, Andalusia and other regions of Spain! In my opinion, you need some skill to peel habas or at least I see experts pile up a good amount of shells in the time I need to utterly destroy one pod. In the image, notice the beans inside the cardboard box and a bunch of pods right in front in the plastic container. This was taken early in the morning at one of those open air veggie stalls set outside La Boqueria market. The picture is almost ruined cause there was too much light and I didn't have much time to set the camera properly and still get away with my candid. I brought it here so you could see what peeling favas looks like and learn about the tradition behind it, a tradition as old as humanity itself and only second to good old lentils but that is part of another story. To illustrate the culinary aspect of fava beans here is a list of videos either about the plant or recipes that might give you new ideas for today's meal.

June 14, 2008

Pickled Green Tomatoes in Barcelona

 [enlarge]

These pickled green tomatoes caught my attention at a street market. The bowl I found among other kinds of pickle products like olives or onions. It is not very common here to see green tomatoes prepared that way, at least not for us in Barcelona city. I was standing there preadjusting my camera settings and I had the opportunity to listen to some customers talking to the man in the stall. "Are these olives?" - they asked with surprise. "No, those are green tomatoes from Valencia" - said the stall man. It's a rather ridiculous story but I found the comparison between olives and green tomatoes rather ackward. Here is a green tomato pickle recipe.

November 13, 2007

Eggplants and Potatoes

Eggplants and Potatoes [enlarge]

What in the world? Yes, these are baby eggplants I patiently piled up on top of a box of potatoes. In fact I just liked the brilliant color of the aubergines but I thought potatoes would help highlight the purple reddish plant. From the food point of view, now that I introduce these vegetables, let's say that there are recipes that include both ingredients. With this link to Indian Vegetarian Recipes and especially the Eggplant and Potato Curry (Vagan Bateta nu Shak) I am sure the post really acquires a real meaning no matter how surrealistic I may sound. I'm in the middle of a mystic trance lately, it must be the winter!
Note: More Eggplant and Potato Recipes

October 30, 2007

Big Ripe Tomato Under The Afternoon Sun

Big Ripe Tomato Under The Afternoon Sun [enlarge]

A big juicy ripe tomato in a friend's orchard. This is obviously the kind we don't eat. Sometimes I think they only exist in dreams. We, city people, get all the crap. Vegetables frozen before time, with marks of bad manipulation, no juice, pesticides, and so on. There's nothing like a bite on a ripe tomato of your own harvest.

October 28, 2007

Tomato Under the Sun

Tomato Under the Sun [enlarge]

This is a closeup on a ripe tomato under the afternoon sun in a picture taken about a month ago at a friend's orchard. From this post on I am going to be brief till I get uptodate with my posting. I hope you understand. Thanks.

October 27, 2007

Red Peppers On Strings

Red Peppers On Strings [enlarge]

Red pepper, Capsicum, chili pepper or paprika. What's in a name? If you visit Spain you are bound to see this image often. Not much in Barcelona city but in neighbouring towns. They are left there hanging under the sun to dry up. They are wonderful for cooking and for decoration in what is known as pepper ristras or pepper hangings. Since I am on a diet I can't stop talking about food.

October 07, 2007

Red Pepper Drying Up In The Sun

Red Pepper Drying Up In The Sun [enlarge]

Red hot chili peppers could easily be the title of this post but I prefer to concentrate on the color and not the famous band. I don't think this is a chili pepper either but it certainly looks hot. The afternoon sun and the texture of the cement floor emphasize the shape and highlight the vivid color of the pepper which was drying up fast although not where it was supposed to be, hanging from a string on the wall nearby.

April 30, 2007

Green Veggies at Ninot Market in Barcelona

Green Veggies at a Market in Barcelona


Just a curious way to dress up the stall at Ninot market in Barcelona. I am not fond of veggies and low carb vegetarian diets but have to admit they make a market stall quite more attractive.
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