It amounts to a hill of beans

In the last scene from the old classic, Casablanca,  Humphry Bogart says:

"Ilsa, I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world".

Well that's easy for Bogart to say but what does it mean?  According to my internet search, beans have long been regarded as the epitome of worthlessness.  

So a hill of beans is just a whole lot of worthlessness.

I think that is a bit harsh and just goes to show that some people don't have any imagination.

Who could not love beans? They are easy to grow, are prolific, and they come in so many varieties.

Think green beans, steamed with a dob of butter and salt and pepper.

What about all the dried beans?  Bean salads, homemade baked beans, kidney beans, borlotti beans.  What would a delicious minestrone soup be without beans?

And today I had my own hill of beans...broad-beans.

You know it is time for the final picking and disposal of the broad bean plants when the snails have eaten all the leaves and some of the beans are packing their bags and leaving of their own accord.  Militant little buggers!

The hill of beans amounted to this...which is a lot...that is a BIG bowl.

One thing worthwhile you can do with a hill of beans (well some off the top of the hill) is make Broad Bean Dip.

It has the consistency of hommus and tastes beany, garlicky, and herby.... and it is green!

NOICE!

Broad-bean dip

Ingredients:

• 1kg broad beans in the pod.
• 2 cloves of garlic - roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs of oregano - leaves only
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lemon - juice only
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• half cup of extra virgin olive oil.

Method:

• Shell the beans (do not double peel)
• Put the beans in a saucepan and just cover with cold water.
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes
• Drain beans retaining third of a cup of cooking water
• Place all ingredients (except oil, salt and pepper)  in food processor and blend until smooth.
• Stop processor and scrape sides of bowl.
• Start processor and drizzle olive oil in to make a mayonnaise consistency.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

............