Forget Granny's broad beans for a moment - overcooked and grey - and think fresh, crisp, bursting-with-flavour broad beans that grow easily and abundantly at this time of year.
Broad beans are one of the oldest cultivated crops and are said to have been introduced to the eastern Mediterranean diet in about 6000BC.
An excellent form of fibre and folate, broad beans are wonderful in everything from salads and soups to purées and dips.
Obviously, the best way to get the freshest broad beans is to grow them yourself and as it is one of the lowest-maintenance vegetables to produce, there is no reason not to have a few bushes in your kitchen garden.
If you are lucky enough to be able to purchase them from your local farmers market, look for beans that are still in their pods and preferably just picked.
Ideally, broad beans should be eaten while still young and tender.
Baby broad beans require about 15 seconds of blanching in salted, boiling water or can just be eaten raw.
Avoid growing or buying oversized pods as the beans will be tough, and be sure that they are eaten as soon as possible after being podded.
Older beans, which usually have a black line, should be skinned before cooking.
For a tasty and interesting pre-dinner canapé, try smashed broad bean, mint and Parmesan on crostini.
You will make a convert out of even the harshest critic.
A fast, healthy meal for those on the run is a simple linguini with baby broad beans and fresh goats curd. The hardest part is cooking the pasta!
Celebrate spring with a sumptuous meal of roast organic chicken, new potatoes, broad bean purée and salsa verde. Delicious!
Organic chicken with new potatoes, broad bean purée + salsa verde
Serves 4
1 size 20 organic chicken (we use Heuval)
2 cups podded broad beans
200g baby English spinach
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
500g new potatoes
50g of salted butter
2 tsp parsley, chopped
Bone chicken into two boneless breasts and thighs.
Rub a little salsa verde under the skin for extra flavour.
In a hot pan sear skin-side down until a good colour is achieved and place in a 180degC oven for 5-6 min until chicken is almost cooked.
Remove from oven, turn over and allow to rest.
Blanch broad beans for 30sec in a pot of boiling water.
Refresh immediately in iced water.
Place in a food processor and blitz with raw spinach and 50ml olive oil until smooth.
Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
Adjust the purée consistency by adding more olive oil if desired.
Wash new potatoes well to remove any dirt.
Cook slowly in a pot of salted water on a medium heat.
When nearly cooked, turn off heat and allow to rest in the cooking water for a further 5min.
Drain and toss with 50g of salted butter and 2 Tbsp chopped parsley.
Warm the purée gently in a small pot before dividing between four plates.
Place new potatoes on top.
Carve the chicken pieces in half, serving one piece of thigh and one piece of breast per portion.
Spoon the salsa verde over the chicken and around the plate, adding any rested chicken juices as well.
Salsa verde
Makes half a cup
1 cup tarragon
1 cup flat-leaf parsley
half clove garlic
2 tsp capers
1 tsp flaky sea salt (we use Maldon)
half tsp mustard
2 Oritz anchovies
60ml extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp cabernet sauvignon vinegar (we use Forum)
Place garlic, capers, anchovies and salt into a mortar and pestle and grind to a paste.
Add tarragon and flat-leaf parsley and grind well until smooth.
Add olive oil and muddle with the pestle.
This prevents oxidisation and keeps the salsa green.
Add vinegar and mustard and reserve for later use.
Linguini with baby broad beans, goat's curd + lemon
Serves 4
200g linguini
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
2 cups podded broad beans
200g goat's curd
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper
Place linguini into a large heavy-based pot full of salted boiling water and cook for about 10min or until al dente.
Drain and keep covered to retain heat.
In a large saucepan cook garlic and chilli flakes for 10-15sec in 50ml preheated olive oil. (Be careful not to burn the garlic.) Add raw broad beans and linguini and toss together to combine.
Add lemon juice and season to taste.
Divide between four pasta bowls, top with goat's curd and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Smashed broad bean, mint + Parmesan on crostini
Makes 20 canapés
1 cup podded broad beans
quarter-cup mint, finely chopped
50g Parmesan, ground
half clove garlic
salt and pepper
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
juice of half lemon
1 baguette or ciabatta, thinly sliced, seasoned with salt and drizzled with olive oil and lightly toasted in 180degC oven
Place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz for 10-15sec.
Mixture should be slightly chunky, not smooth.
Adjust the seasoning with a little more salt and pepper as necessary and spoon on to crostini.
Serve immediately.
- Bevan Smith
