Ways with broad beans

Ways with broad beans

Its that time of year again. Piles of snow peas and broad beans ready to pick every day. Our freezer now contains zip lock bags full of blanched broad beans to eat throughout the year. Add some of the lovely chorizo from Mount Gnomon Farm bought from the farmer at the Farm Gate Market just before Christmas, and you have one very tasty risotto. Actually it was the first risotto I ever made. Im not normally a fan of what The Katering Shows McCartney and McLennan call hot wet rice.  Check out the hilarious Thermomix episode for an explanation. My other favourite broad bean recipe was recommended by a friend, Pauline. Its for broad beans with parsley, feta and almonds and it is a very quick and delicious way to eat them. Do you have a favourite broad bean recipe to share?

Ways with broad beans

Broad beans

Broad beans

In the end, I had to freeze some. I planted fewer broad beans than last year, but we still had way more than we could eat once they were ready to harvest. I had been warned - the plants flowered prolifically. I only tried broad beans for the first time a couple of years back at the Agrarian Kitchen, where we picked them fresh and made a delicious salad with asparagus and spring onions. I have plans to make a dip and risotto using the frozen ones. They now rate as one of my favourite vegetables and are very easy to grow.

Broad beans