Yes, broad beans. We know this column is usually reserved for out of the ordinary ingredients, but then it struck us that this in-season vegetable, while utterly workaday and about as exotic as a bowl of porridge is unfairly derided in too many households, and that’s not fair, because broad beans are gorgeous!
Come on, Appetite readers, join us in celebrating this wonderful bean, and try them like this…
• Deep fried or roasted in the oven with lots of salt and garlic. It’s the ultimate moreish bar snack.
• For broad bean hummus, simply blanch broad beans briefly in boiling water, cool, and whiz in a food processor with lots of olive oil, a couple of garlic cloves, salt, lemon juice and zest and serve on toasted sourdough.
• For a summer hot potato and broad bean salad, blanch beans and stir into hot new potatoes with lots of butter, lemon, salt, a generous handful of feta cheese and torn mint leaves.