Broad Bean Recipes
When broad beans (also known as fava beans) are in season in early summer, you may be looking for Broad Bean recipes to make the most of them. The small, early season beans are the best. When they are young they do not have the hard outer layer in the bean that they develop later in the season and they can be incredibly sweet and juicy.
Broad beans can be a delicious part of a supper meal, like in this bean and pea risotto recipe
Ideally buy your broad beans from local green grocers or Farmers Markets for the very best juicy ones, rather than the supermarket. You will really taste the difference. Or if you are a gardener, it seems that broad beans are easy to grow and are beneficial to have in your garden. I am not an experienced gardener and will certainly leave it to the experts to explain more about growing broad beans
Healthy And Tasty Broad Beans
It is important not to overcook the beans so they retain their fresh taste and their nutrients. They only need a few minutes boiling, if you are eating them plain as a side vegetable.
Broad beans, along side cauliflower, have had a bad press. If you have experienced large, tough and bitter beans in the past, it is hard to be persuaded to try again. So if that is the case, do let this recipe attempt to change your mind about them.
Classic, Easy Risotto
Risottos are always a good way to use vegetables and mix together your favourite. Adding the cheese, herbs and stock brings extra flavour. The recipe below calls for risotto – arborio rice. This is best for its short grains and chewy, creamy texture. However you can use any rice such as long grain or basmati rice – it is really a matter of personal taste.
When cooking keep adding the stock gradually throughout the cooking as the rice absorbs the liquid. Be prepared to a bit more than the recipe says, if it seems to require it, to ensure the rice is thoroughly cooked and you have some moisture in the finished risotto.
Vegetarian Risotto
If you are cooking for vegetarians, be sure to use vegetarian cheese. Parmesan contains rennet, an animal based substance. In the strict sense, there is no such thing as vegetarian parmesan, since parmesan cheese must contain animal rennet to qualify for the name. However, it is possible to get ‘parmesan-style’ cheese that is suitable for vegetarians.
Risotto With Any Vegetable
This recipe can be adapted to use other vegetables – mushrooms, courgettes, sweetcorn, green or red peppers. Choose your vegetables and make a risotto. Nuts, such as cashew nuts is a good addition and adds protein too! Vary the flavourings according to taste. And if you have some leftover it will keep in the fridge for a few days and is delicious re-heated.
Just a word on blanching. This simply means plunging the beans into a large pan of boiling water for just 30 seconds so they do not require much cooking in the rice, as most of the stock will have been absorbed.
More Risotto Recipes
Broad Bean And Pea Risotto Recipe
Equipment
- Large frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 300 g risotto rice (arborio)
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 500 g broad beans removed from the pod
- 150 g frozen peas or fresh podded peas
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 100 g Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan
- Add the onion and fry until soft
- Add the garlic and cook for a minute
- Add the rice, stirring to coat with remaining oil and cook for 2-3 minutes
- Add half the stock and continue adding more when it is almost all absorbed - takes about 20 minutes
- Add the paprika and cumin and stir
- When the risotto is nearly cooked, blanche the broad beans
- Add the beans and peas to the risotto, adding more stock if necessary
- Once the beans and peas are cooked (about 5 minutes), stir in the Parmesan cheese
- Add ground black pepper to taste
This broad bean risotto is the first I’ve ever made – and it was delicious! I’ve made it a couple of times now and love how simple it is. It’s even nice re-heated – I ate it for 3 days in a row! I also made it with asparagus instead of peas which was yummy.
Thanks Hannah – it’s one of my favourites too – especially with the early, tender broad beans. And I have been amazed at how lovely it is reheated too! I am glad it works so well with asparagus too.