One quart of fresh young broad beans
Two quarts of water
A slice of ham
A stick of celery
A bunch of parsley
Three cloves
Twenty peppercorns
One bay leaf
Four ounces of fresh butter

"Shell one quart of fresh young broad beans and put them in cold water. Put two quarts of water in a sauce-pan and add a slice of ham, a stick of celery, a bunch of parsley, three cloves, twenty peppercorns, and one bay leaf. Boil for a quarter of an hour, then take out the ham, etc., and put in the beans. Strain as soon as they are tender, add four ounces of fresh butter and put them on the fire for a few minutes before serving."

This recipe was taken from "Leaves from our Tuscan Kitchen or, How to Cook Vegetables" by Ann Janet Ross. The book was published by JM Dent & Co. in 1900 (London). For the complete cookbook see www.archive.org. A variety of recipes can also be found on this website.... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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