Broad bean and pea recipes

Fresh flavours with spring crops

BROAD BEAN BRUSCHETTA TOPPING

Frozen, defrosted broad beans may be substituted for fresh, but the fresh is infinitely preferable. To make the crostini for this topping and the pea topping below, preheat oven to 180°C. Slice a baguette into 1cm-thick diagonal slices – it’s best if the baguette is a day or two old. Brush both sides with olive oil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, or until crisp.

Ingredients • 2 cups podded broad beans (or frozen, defrosted) • 2 teaspoons lemon zest • ½ teaspoon salt • freshly ground black pepper • 2 tablespoons pitted black olives, finely chopped • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or aioli • 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley • 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint leaves • 1 teaspoon wasabi paste (optional) • microgreens, to garnish

Bring 1 cup water to the boil in a medium pot. Drop in the beans and bring back to simmer point for 2-3 minutes, until just tender. Refresh under cold water, drain and peel. Discard the skins.

Crush the peeled beans with a masher, (you should have about cup bean ‘meat’), then stir in the remaining ingredients except the wasabi and the microgreens.

Add wasabi, if using, pile the topping onto the crostini slices and garnish with microgreens.

PEA BRUSCHETTA TOPPING

Ingredients • 1 cup shelled peas (or frozen) • 2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onion or chives • 2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander • ¼ packed cup crumbled, finely chopped or grated feta • salt & freshly ground black pepper • ½ red chilli (6-9cm), deseeded and finely chopped • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil • microgreens, to garnish

Bring 1 cup water to the boil in a medium pot. Drop in the peas and bring back to simmer point for 2 minutes. Refresh under cold water and drain.

Crush the peas with a masher then stir in the remaining ingredients except the microgreens garnish.

Pile the topping onto crostini and garnish with the microgreens.

GREEN PEA ‘GUACAMOLE’

So simple but so fresh and tasty! Serve as a dip with corn chips, savoury wafer biscuits, as a crostini topping or as a spread in wraps.

You can also add a little finely chopped jalapeño or fresh coriander if desired.

Ingredients • 2 cups shelled peas (or frozen, defrosted) • 1 avocado, peeled and roughly chopped • 3 cloves garlic, peeled • 4 tablespoons lime or lemon juice • 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper • mint sprigs and finely sliced preserved lemon (optional)

Cook fresh peas in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute (you don’t need to cook frozen peas). Drain and refresh under cold water. Place all ingredients in a processor and pulse to roughly purée.

Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and chill. Serve at room temperature with crudités of your choice.

BROAD BEAN QUINOA SALAD

Among obvious attributes such as flavour and versatility, broad beans are nutritious and easy to grow – sweet young beans can be used for this salad without having to be peeled after cooking. That said, frozen or mature fresh broad beans make a perfectly adequate substitute later in the year (cooked and peeled).

Couscous or orzo would also work in this recipe as a substitute for quinoa.

Ingredients • 1 cup white, black or red quinoa • 2 cups podded young broad beans (or 350g frozen) • 3 mandarins, peeled • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds • ¼ cup almonds, blanched or unblanched • ½ cup fresh mint leaves • 1 teaspoon salt • freshly ground pepper Dressing • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice • 2 teaspoons honey • 1 teaspoon sesame oil • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar or lemon juice • salt & freshly ground or cracked black pepper

Rinse and drain the quinoa. Place in 2 cups boiling water and simmer for 15-20 minutes, uncovered, until it is tender with a light crunch (as with al dente pasta). Refresh under cold water. Drain well, pressing with a spoon if necessary.

Lightly cook the broad beans by simmering in water for 2-3 minutes. Refresh under cold water as for the quinoa and drain. Peel only if the beans are mature and the skins thickened or you are using frozen beans.

Half the mandarins horizontally, discard any obvious seeds and cut into segments.

Toast the sesame seeds and almonds separately in a dry pan until golden, or place separately on an oven tray and roast for about 10 minutes at 180°C. Slice the almonds lengthways. Finely chop the mint. Place all the salad ingredients in a serving bowl except for the almonds and cup of the broad beans.

For the dressing, warm the orange juice and the honey together until the honey melts. Stir in all the remaining ingredients and combine.

Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving, toss to combine and sprinkle over the reserved broad beans and almonds.

TOKYO GARDEN FRITTERS

These tasty fritters are simple to make and completely delicious. They contain only a small amount of flour, so are light and moist inside but irresistibly crunchy on the outside, thanks to the coating of panko crumbs.

This mixture can be made a day before and refrigerated overnight before forming into fritters, crumbing and cooking.

Ingredients • 2 cups podded broad beans (or frozen, defrosted) • 2 cups shelled peas (or frozen, defrosted) • 1 tablespoon white miso paste • ½ cup finely chopped coriander (leaves and stalks) • 2 spring onions, finely chopped • 1 tablespoon mirin (see note) • 1 large egg, lightly whisked • 1 teaspoon salt • plenty of freshly ground black pepper • ¼ cup self-raising flour • ½ teaspoon baking powder • 1½-2 cups panko crumbs • oil for shallow frying • sweet chilli sauce Yoghurt sauce • cup plain unsweetened yoghurt • 1 teaspoon lemon zest • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Place the unpeeled broad beans, peas and miso paste in a food processor. Pulse to roughly mash but not purée.

Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the remaining ingredients except for the panko crumbs, oil and sauces.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up before cooking.

Spread the panko crumbs onto a plate. Take spoonfuls of the mix (it will still be quite soft) and roll in the panko crumbs, turning with the spoon to coat all sides. Repeat with the rest of the mix.

Heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of a large, heavy-based frypan – if you have one electric frypans are excellent for this recipe as they cook very evenly.

Cook the fritters in batches, adding a little more oil to the pan as needed.

Meanwhile combine the ingredients for the yoghurt sauce.

Serve the fritters topped with yoghurt sauce and a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce. Makes about 9-10 fritters.

Note: Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice cooking wine – an essential condiment for Japanese cuisine.

BOBOTIE

Bobotie is an African dish. Although traditionally made with lamb, broad beans and walnuts work very well to create a vegetarian dish that both looks and tastes great. There is no need to peel the broad beans for this dish. This dish freezes well.

Ingredients • 500g podded broad beans (or 500g frozen), defrosted • 3 tablespoons oil • 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped • 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed • 1 small capsicum, deseeded and diced or 1 rib celery, diced • 2 teaspoons curry powder, or more to taste) • 1 teaspoon turmeric • 1 teaspoons ground coriander • 150g cubed wholemeal bread (3-4 slices; I used Vogels) • 1¼ cups (300ml) milk, warmed • ½ cup currants • 75g (¾ cup) walnuts, roughly chopped • 1 tablespoons mango or any fruit chutney • 2 teaspoons salt • lots of freshly ground black pepper • ¾ cup vegetable stock • ½ loosely packed cup flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped • 3 eggs • 1 cup milk, extra • 125g sour cream • ½ cup grated tasty cheddar

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until just tender, drain and refresh under cold water. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large shallow frypan over a medium heat. Sauté the onions, garlic and capsicum or celery for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the curry powder, turmeric and coriander and sauté for a few more minutes. Meanwhile, soak the bread in the milk. Stir the broad beans, currants and walnuts into the onion mixture and cook for about 5 minutes more.

Stir in the chutney, the soaked bread with the milk and the salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to a 30cm x 20cm or similar baking dish (such as a standard sized lasagne dish). Spread the mix into the dish then pour the stock over the top. Distribute the parsley evenly over this.

Whisk the eggs, the extra cup of milk, sour cream and cheese together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour this mixture over the bean mixture. Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes and serve hot. ✤