The trees should be full of ripe Carobs - But what to do with them?
Carobs or “algarroba” in Spanish is often overlooked by visitors and residents alike. This ungainly tree which often seems unable or unwilling to keep itself upright continues to produce masses of dangling pods, full of beans (and it really is part of the legume family) despite appearing to have collapsed and decayed beyond salvation. Often used as animal feed in the past, these pods are becoming more and more sought after as a highly nutritious food source for humans.
The pods themselves (rather than the beans) are full of calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron plus B vitamins like niacin and riboflavin. A very low fat and high fibre food with a low glycemic index score makes this a good option for those looking for a low GI Diet. Its flavour is reminiscent of a fruity cacao. Use ground carob as a chocolate substitute in cakes and desserts or add to Mexican style salsas and chilli dishes.
If you have access to ripe carob pods, why not try processing them yourself?
The first thing to do is to pick them over, discarding any which are rotting or show signs of insect infestation. Then wash thoroughly before splitting the pods and discarding the hard seeds or beans. Unlike cacao, it is the pods themselves which we process, not the beans.
The next step is to dry the pods thoroughly. Spread them in a thin layer & let the sun do its work for a few days. Cover them with a fine mesh to prevent animals getting at them.
When dry and becoming brittle, put a few at a time through a food processor to break them down into smaller pieces & then put them through a spice or coffee mill to create a powder. It will be noisy!
Pass the “powder” through a seive and re-mill the left overs until you have a finer powder. You are now ready to use the carob in a whole variety of healthy recipes.
"El-Dorado" Dessert Recipe
Raw, vegan, dairy, gluten and caffeine free ! – this is a great dessert to satisfy many food intolerances or lifestyle choices
– it is also surprisingly good and tastes like a luxurious creamy chocolate mousse!
2 ripe avocados (minus skin and stone obviously)
65g carob powder
100ml agave syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
to garnish – toasted desiccated or flaked coconut, toasted hazelnuts or fresh berries
Simply blend all the ingredients except the garnish together in a food processor, spoon into glasses and chill for a few hours to set
For a Mexican style Ancho chile & Carob sauce please visit La Temporada August from 2025 here
Steve French has been a Chef, restaurateur and food consultant in both the UK and Spain for over 35 years; most recently at Finca49 in Pollença and is currently running cookery experiences in Andalucia (www.finca49.com/experiences).
Finca49 snapshots of summer cookbook is available to buy from www.finca49.com
