Fresh green garbanzo beans were onhand this morning at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market! I have eaten dried garbanzo beans and even canned ones, but never fresh ones. The fresh garbanzos were available from Catalan Family Farm, located in Hollister, California. The are a certified organic producer and are located on the front side of the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market on Saturday mornings.
I was thrilled to find these and, of couse, had to buy a few to try. The fresh garbanzo beans were in their hulls, and they were a little tough to shell. Each hull contained only one bean. I tried a few raw, and they were delightful – crisp and peanut-like in flavor. I wasn’t quite sure how to best cook them. I could, of course, have boiled or steamed them. However, I opted to saute them in a little olive oil and sprinkle them with sea salt before serving. Hmmm….delicious! The beans tasted a little stronger than they do when dried, with a much fresher, greener flavor. These fresh garbanzo beans would pair well with fresh corn (also at the market today – first of the season!) in a salad or in a saute.
