BROAD BEANS
Along with days that never end, fields full of flowers and trips to the
seaside, freshly picked broad beans are a staple ingredient of a truly
British summer.
These fabulous beans are world-renowned for their taste so take
advantage and tuck into these tasty little gems while you can they’ll
start to appear in farmers’ markets, grocers and supermarkets from the
end of this month onwards.
A bit like humans, broad beans like to be treated differently according
to their age! When buying look for young pods, which are pale and soft
as these can be eaten whole, pod and all. A little older and they need
to be podded, cooked and have the thick outer skin taken off.
Broad beans pack a punch in boosting the immune system and fighting
diseases like cancer and heart disease, and are rich in folic acid,
flavonoids, and Vitamins A and C. They're also a good source of Niacin
(Vitamin B3), thought to promote a healthy nervous system and are low
in calories, making them a perfect choice for health-conscious
families.
Why not try adding broad beans and pesto to freshly cooked pasta for a
light summer supper, or make a broad bean dip and pop it in your
lunchbox with crudités for a lighter bite at lunchtimes?
Summer wouldn’t be the same without an impromptu party, fun-packed
picnic or an al fresco dinner beneath the stars, so make the most of
the warmer weather and try out our delicious broad bean recipe – enjoy!
WARM NEW POTATO, BROAD BEAN & CHORIZO SALAD, WITH GARLIC MAYONNAISE
Serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a starter
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 800g new potatoes
- 300g podded broad beans (approx 600g unpodded)
- 1 chorizo sausage ring or 200g cubed raw chorizo
- 2 little gem lettuces
- A handful of black olives
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the garlic mayonnaise:
- 4 generous tablespoons of good-quality mayonnaise
- 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic
Method:
- Cut the potatoes into 1cm cubes and bring to the boil in a pan of salted water. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender, drain and
set aside. - Cook the broad beans in a pan of boiling water until tender (approx 4-5 minutes). Unless your broad beans are very
young it’s worth removing the outer shell of each bean by squeezing
gently. - Fry the chorizo in a dry pan (the sausage will release enough of its own oil to fry it in) until golden and crispy.
- Add the cooked potatoes to the pan along with the broad beans and toss to coat in the spicy sausage oil.
- Line a big bowl with little gem leaves and pile the potato mixture on top,
finish off with the olives and a scattering of parsley. Serve with the
garlic mayonnaise.
Alternatively for a starter, place 2 salad leaves on a plate and add a
generous spoonful to each leaf, topped with olives and parsley and a
dollop of the mayo. Enjoy!