Best In Season - June - written by Chef Consultant, Celia Brooks
Broad Beans - everyone’s fava bean
When I arrived from the UK from the US many years ago, I thought broad beans were a whole new discovery. Then I found out that in the US we call them fava beans, and they are not wildly popular, perhaps partially because of Hannibal Lecter’s infamous penchant for having them as a side dish, washed down with a nice Chianti.
Broad beans have a gloriously short season and it’s peaking right now, so grab ‘em while you can. Creamy, sweet and earthy, they’re one of the few beans we eat fresh from the pod like edamame and peas, and they cook in just a few minutes.
They have magical health properties too. All beans are seeds, and all seeds are dynamic powerhouses of nutrition. Each individual bean contains all the necessary DNA and nutrition to start a new life and support it, and when you eat them, all that concentrated goodness transfers to you. This includes a swathe of immune-boosting nutrients and a high dose of protein.
Plucking fresh broad beans from their pods is an enjoyable and mindful kitchen task. Their pods open easily with the flick of a thumbnail, and the pods’ interior is endearingly fluffy, like a teeny fur-lined sleeping bag. Just pop the beans out and they are ready to cook. You can save the pods for making a delicate vegetable broth.
“But all that pesky peeling!” I hear you say…but wait! I’m sure any French cook will sniff at this statement, but as long as the beans are not much bigger than a pound coin, there is no need to peel them. They don’t look quite as pretty - the skin goes a bit dull when cooked, unlike the vibrant green interior - but they still taste just as delicious, have a wonderful chewy bite, and you’ll get way more benefit to your gut from the extra fibre in the skins. If you’re pureeing them into the delectable hummus below, even giant beans can go in whole.
One of my fave ways with broad beans is to cook them with lettuce. I know that sounds odd - but the juices of the lettuce act to steam fresh broad beans and impart an incredibly clean, sweet flavour. Here’s how: line a small, lidded saucepan with lettuce leaves. Add a knob of salted butter. Wet your hand and sprinkle a few drops of water in. Add a few handfuls of broad beans, cover the pan and place over a moderate heat until the lettuce is wilted and the beans are just tender, about 3 minutes. Eat the buttery lettuce and all.
Served at their simplest, broad beans are best lightly steamed for 3-5 minutes with a little sea salt. They marry well with butter, olive oil or cold-pressed British rapeseed oil, fresh lemon juice and zest, basil, garlic, and Parmesan.
If you’ve got the barbie fired up, why not try this: just throw the whole pods over the hot coals for about 6-8 minutes, then remove and leave until cool enough to handle. Slip the beans out of the pods and insert directly into the mouth! They steam to perfection inside the pods and all the flavour stays inside.
Broad bean & basil purée
A luxurious green hummus-style dip with a twist. Serve with crackers or crudités.
Ingredients
300g approx broad beans (weight after removed from the pod)
1 small clove of garlic, crushed
Generous dose of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon + 1-2 Tbsp of juice
4-6 Tbsp EVOO
A generous handful of fresh basil leaves
Method
1) Steam the broad beans for 3-5 mins until just tender.
2) Cool briefly, then blend to a smooth purée in a high-speed blender or food processor while still warm with the remaining ingredients. Add a splash of the steaming water if necessary to get the consistency you want - it should be thick dipping consistency.