Broad Beans with Aloe

Click here to go to printable recipe:  Broad Beans with Aloe

Mexico is the name of a country, its capital city, and also one of its central states; Estado de México  (also known as Edomex), is situated in Central Mexico, surrounding the capital  Mexico City from the West, North and East, as shown in red on the map:

In 1521, after the fall of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec (Mexica) empire (currently Mexico City), Spanish conquerors then sought the surrounding  land, rich and already well developed.  The invasion spread like quicksilver over the fertile valleys and mountains, and many farm animals and European crops were introduced to today’s Edomex, for example: pigs, which to this day remain an important farming, meat and chorizo industry; legumes, such as broad beans and lentils; and famously, wheat was first grown in Texcoco by Juan Garrido, one of conqueror Hernán Cortés’s men.  Local crops like corn, squash, beans and peppers were adopted, and the Spaniards recognized the importance of pulque, a fermented beverage made from the sweet sap of maguey (Agave americana, and other Agave sp.); pulque has a milky appearance and a viscous consistency, and the flavour is a tad sweet but mostly sour, a little like the popular fermented tea kombucha.  The Aztec reserved pulque to ceremonial rituals, but it became a common drink during colonial times, and it was later introduced in the kitchen as an integral ingredient of some dishes such as barbacoa, and the inspiration for this post, a traditional dish from Edomex called Habitas Empulcadas.

Habitas Empulcadas means “little broad beans in pulque”, a fusion of Old-World broad beans, and Mexican peppers and pulque.  The fermentation process of pulque starts in the mature maguey plant itself, from which the sap is collected daily; temperature, humidity and agitation changes might affect the product, which makes packing and transportation of pulque difficult; this is the main reason why it has remained a localized product of Central Mexico since pre-Hispanic times, and why it would be impossible to find in Canada.   For mi recipe, I thought of using a shot of mezcal (alcoholic drink made from maguey), to honour pulque‘s origin, and then add an aloe beverage (as seen below), since it has a thick consistency like pulque, and Aloe and Agave are both genera of succulent plants from the same order (Asparagales):

Broad beans are grown in spring for late spring and summer harvests; they are cooked in water before shelling, then removed from their pods for eating.   I do not have any in my garden so for this recipe, I used canned (photo below, left).  I do not care for the skin, so I usually peel them, for a smooth and creamy texture (photo below, right):

Broad Beans with Aloe – Habas con aloe

Printable recipe: Broad Beans with Aloe

Ingredients

2 cups cooked shelled green broad beans; skin removed (optional)
1 hot green pepper, such as jalapeño; roasted, stem removed, peeled, and sliced 
¼ white onion; peeled, and chopped
1 clove garlic; peeled, and minced
2 tbsp lard OR vegetable oil
½ cup pulque OR aloe beverage 
3 tbsp mezcal (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Fresh cilantro, to garnish

Warm up lard or oil in a pan over medium heat; add onions, garlic and roasted pepper (photo below, left); stir and cook for a couple of minutes, until onions become translucent.  Add broad beans, mezcal (if using) and pulque (or aloe beverage, photo below, right):

Stir and cook until broad beans are hot, and the liquid has reduced by half.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve as a side dish, garnished with fresh cilantro:

Although mezcal and aloe were used as a substitution for pulque, I think the pretense worked well enough, imparting a lightly sweet and unique flavour to the humble broad beans.  This simple dish may also serve as a light lunch, supplemented with crumbled cheese, and fixed as a taco in a warm corn tortilla:

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I am bringing my recipe to Full Plate Thursday #643 with Miz Helen @ Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

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I am sharing my post at Thursday Favourite Things #611, with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

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I am joining Fiesta Friday #487  with Angie @ Fiesta Friday, this week co-hosting with Pauline @ Beautiful Voyager.

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I am sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #422 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.