Legumes

On the island of Lesvos legumes are cultivated in limited quantities, yet they have a special place in the diet and the cuisine of the locals. Chick peas, broad beans, white beans, horse beans, fava beans and lentils are all part of the local gastronomy. The most special legume in Lesvos is the small chick pea grown in Lisvori, an exceptionally tasty and delicious variety, and one of the best sources of plant protein with undeniable nutritional value. The Lisvori legumes are served boiled, cooked, with lemon or over-boiled (mushy) as soups, in cold salads, fried with meatballs or roasted as a dry nut (“stragalia”). Chick peas accompany “kiske” or “kisketsi”, a ritual traditional Lesvian meal served in religious festivals. Broad beans are also cooked very frequently by Lesvian housewives accompanied with onions, fennel or dill, lemon and olive oil, a delicious meze for ouzo drinking. Broad beans grow predominantly in Mytilini and to a lesser extent in Vatera, Eresos and Polichnitos. Finally, beans are widely consumed by Lesvians as salads with onions, olive oil and lemon. Known for their tastiness are the beans from Kapi and other varieties such as “pritsikelia”, white (kidney) beans, black-eyed beans, Borlotti beans and “frangofasoula”.