Pork and broad bean burgers
The first time I made a broad bean purée, I turned a Diana Henry recipe for six people into an accompaniment for a whole roasted pig at a wedding. It was very much my fault (she was clear it’s a recipe for small groups), but I felt like I spent days tediously podding broad beans.
It’s to their eternal credit that it didn’t put me off – not only are they delicious, especially when fresh, but their soft, fuzzy beds are so satisfying to split open and run your thumb through.
SERVES 4
FOR THE BURGERS
50ml Marsala wine
1tsp smoked paprika
1tsp fennel seeds
Salt and black pepper
400g minced pork
FOR THE PUREE
100g podded broad beans 75g frozen peas, defrosted Zest and juice of 1 lemon 10 mint leaves
1tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper TO SERVE
4 burger buns, sliced in half Butter and mayonnaise
1 Mix together the Marsala, paprika, fennel seeds and some seasoning, and stir through the pork mince. Place in a bowl, cover and transfer to the fridge for 24 hours to allow the flavours to develop.
2 The next day, boil beans for 1min, drain, and pop skins off.
3 In a food processor, blitz the cooled broad beans and peas with the zest and juice of the lemon and the mint leaves. Add the olive oil and blitz again. Taste, and season.
4 Shape the seasoned mince into 4 patties. Fry in a dry non-stick or cast-iron pan, for 8min on each side. Turn the heat down if they’re browning too quickly; you want them to be cooked right through, but not burnt on the outside.
5 Toast the split buns in the still hot pan for a minute or two, and spread the top half with a little butter and the bottom half with mayonnaise. Add a generous spoonful of the purée, a patty and top with the other bun half.
Serve immediately.