This spring, I received an envelope by mail. A padded envelope that I quickly opened because I suspected it contained seeds. I have always enjoyed surprises. Inside were a few dented beans, slightly swollen at the edges and not quite round. The "little gourgane from the lake" is a Quebec variety still offered by a few local seed vendors. Since we now have arable land near Charlevoix, in a cooler climate, I thought, why not?
Where does it come from...
Also called Marsh Bean or Fagioli, the gourgane has been cultivated for nearly 9,000 years. It is said to have originated in the Near East, and according to some experts, the wild plant is likely extinct. Chinese texts from 5,000 years ago reference it, and we know that the Gauls used it a thousand years before our era. However, it seems that it was consumed mainly in the form of flour back then.
How did it arrive in Quebec?
In the 18th century, during a period of great changes and important discoveries, the great Spanish explorers returned from the Americas with beans to shell, beans, and potatoes on board. The consumption of gourgane in Europe, its place of origin, then began to decline in favor of these new crops. However, in New France, gourgane was introduced at the beginning of the colonization. Nutritious and undemanding, it was a common part of the settlers' menu, where they would simmer a delicious bean soup all day over the fire while working in the fields. Since then, gourgane soup has become a regional dish typical of Charlevoix and Lac-Saint-Jean (Quebec).
Though neglected, it has not disappeared and is still used today in Middle Eastern, North African, and European peasant cuisines. Although it is now somewhat overlooked elsewhere in Quebec, it remains popular in Saguenay, Lac-Saint-Jean, and the beautiful Charlevoix region. Varieties like Baie St-Paul, Minica, and Primo are primarily cultivated. A gourgane festival has been held every year since 1974, in July, in the municipality of Albanel.
Though neglected, it has not disappeared and is still used today in Middle Eastern, North African, and European peasant cuisines. Although it is now somewhat overlooked elsewhere in Quebec, it remains popular in Saguenay, Lac-Saint-Jean, and the beautiful Charlevoix region. Varieties like Baie St-Paul, Minica, and Primo are primarily cultivated. A gourgane festival has been held every year since 1974, in July, in the municipality of Albanel.
Nutritional Information and Storage
The gourgane belongs to the legume family. It is an excellent source of fiber and protein and has a very high content of vitamin C and folacin. It also provides iron, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.
Nourishing, it has a rather distinctive taste. The fresh bean can be consumed (it keeps for up to 2 days in the refrigerator) or cooked. It can also be dried in its pod, with only the seeds kept, or frozen for later use.
How do you prepare it?
It is preferable to blanch fresh beans for a few minutes before plunging them into cold water, making it easier to remove the skin (which is bitter) and reducing the cooking time. Fresh beans are then cooked for about fifteen minutes in salted water. Dried beans take about 2 hours to cook.
Apart from its cultivation as a garden crop, its exportation frozen or canned, and its use to feed livestock, gourgane is currently being developed for products like flour or snack foods.
« Abundant and floury, they have long served as food for both humans and animals, especially for poultry. »
The large-seed varieties from the Middle Ages are the result of the selection of small seeds from North Africa. These large seeds are mainly intended for vegetable cultivation.
Among them, the ‘Broad Windsor’ variety (Stokes, Prairie Garden Seeds, West Coast Seeds) appeared as early as 1700 and remains the most popular because its sturdy 120 cm plants withstand the cold characteristic of our climate. This variety is recognized by its pods, which measure 12 to 15 cm and contain large green seeds.
It is worth noting that the ‘Green Windsor’ variety (Prairie Garden Seeds, Thompson & Morgan) remains green even after being cooked or frozen, unlike most varieties, which turn brown when dried.
The Spanish variety ‘Aquadulce’ (Stokes) produces smaller plants (about 60 cm) but with longer pods, which can reach up to 25 cm in length.
On the other hand, the small-seed varieties are native to Afghanistan and are now known as fava beans when grown to produce green manure or livestock feed.
The Quebec Varieties
Where did the typical Quebec gourgane go? Despite my research in Canadian seed databases and in both old and new catalogs, no varieties from our heritage are available. WHERE HAS THE GOURGANE FROM CHARLEVOIX GONE? Aside from the "Petite du Lac" variety, I couldn't find any free-pollinating gourgane varieties that would have been cultivated in Quebec.
Finally, I leave you with the famous recipe for Lac-Saint-Jean Gourgane Soup. If you know anyone who still grows gourgane from Charlevoix or Lac-Saint-Jean, or if you have some in your possession, contact us at
info@semences.ca We can help you preserve and share your gourgane to keep them from falling into obscurity. And thanks to Olivier from Semences du
Batteux, for sending me these beans.
Lac-Saint-Jean Gourgane Soup Recipe
- 2,5 litres [10 cups) of water
- 2,5 mL [1/2 tsp) of coarse salt
- 1 mL [1/4 tsp) of savory
- 2,5 mL [1/2) of herbs salted
- 60 mL [1/4 cup) barely
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 113 à 227 g [1/4 to 1/2 libs) of salty fatty pork,m cut into large pieces
- 680 to 900 g [1 1/2 to 2 libs) of frozen or fresh gourgane
- pepper to taste
Place all ingredients into a large pot and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover, and let simmer until the gourgane is tender, about 2 to 3 hours
Serve immediately.
References and Links of Interest
Site web, Festival de la gourgane : http://www.festivaldelagourgane.com/
Encyclobec – Article sur le thème Société et Institution – Le pays de la gourgane : http://encyclobec.ca/region_projet.php?projetid=248
Recette : Tartinade de gourgane et de noix de pin : http://www.metro.ca/recettes/tartinade-de-gourganes-aux-noix-de-pin-et-parmesan-frais.fr.html