Beans, Peas & Sweet Corn

Beans and peas belong to the legume family, a group of vegetables with double-seamed pods containing a single row of seeds. Every continent has its own varieties and, while a few are common to all, such as green peas, others are still regional. Conveniently for the cook, most peas and beans are prepared in a similar way, no matter what the variety. There are three types: those cultivated to eat young in the pod before the seed is ripe; shelling peas and beans that are left to mature and eat fresh without the pod; and dried beans and peas (see Grains and Legumes). In the kitchen, sweet corn is treated in the same way as beans and peas, though botanically it is not a legume.