Post by murrayc on Jun 12, 2016 8:50:53 GMT
The winter-sown broad beans are ready for picking now and they are delicious. I came to appreciation of these vegetables quite late, having previously disdained them as having a mealy taste and disliking the outer husk or jacket. I didn't recocgnise the subtlety of flavour of very young, very fresh broad beans, or that it can be intensified by parboiling them, then peeling the jacket off for the fresh green centres to be eaten as part of a delicious salad or pasta.
This is one of my favourite recipes for this time of year to use fresh broad beans, asparagus and early courgettes. Given supermarket sourcing these days it can be made all the year around, but I personally baulk at the ethics of creating dependency on farmers in South America or Africa on the whims of a supermarket chain, then flying the refrigerated products thousands of carbon-consuming miles. I use orzo pasta in this to simulate a risotto, but you could easily substitute with another pasta that will hold the stock and flavourings, such as fusilli.
Pasta primaverde for 2 or 3 people (appetites vary!)
Ingredients
• 150-200g dried orzo pasta
• 250g asparagus, trimmed
• 1 courgette, cut into rounds
• 100g frozen peas
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 100g fresh broad beans
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) or low-cal cooking spray
• 4 banana shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves to taste, finely chopped
• A few good leaves of fresh mint, finely chopped
• 50g fresh parmesan , finely grated
Method
1. In a separate pan, boil the asparagus tips and broad beans in lightly salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.If the broad beans are large and have very thick husks then wait till cool and peel them.
2. Place a large frying pan with the oil or spray over a medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and soften for 5 minutes, then turn the heat up, add a little stock and the courgettes and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Meanwhile cook the orzo according to the packet instructions, take off while al dente and stir in with the shallots, garlic and courgettes, adding the balance of the stock and a little of the water the pasta has been cooked in. Add the peas at this stage and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in the asparagus tips and beans and half the parmesan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the parmesan and the chopped mint
This is one of my favourite recipes for this time of year to use fresh broad beans, asparagus and early courgettes. Given supermarket sourcing these days it can be made all the year around, but I personally baulk at the ethics of creating dependency on farmers in South America or Africa on the whims of a supermarket chain, then flying the refrigerated products thousands of carbon-consuming miles. I use orzo pasta in this to simulate a risotto, but you could easily substitute with another pasta that will hold the stock and flavourings, such as fusilli.
Pasta primaverde for 2 or 3 people (appetites vary!)
Ingredients
• 150-200g dried orzo pasta
• 250g asparagus, trimmed
• 1 courgette, cut into rounds
• 100g frozen peas
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 100g fresh broad beans
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) or low-cal cooking spray
• 4 banana shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves to taste, finely chopped
• A few good leaves of fresh mint, finely chopped
• 50g fresh parmesan , finely grated
Method
1. In a separate pan, boil the asparagus tips and broad beans in lightly salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.If the broad beans are large and have very thick husks then wait till cool and peel them.
2. Place a large frying pan with the oil or spray over a medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and soften for 5 minutes, then turn the heat up, add a little stock and the courgettes and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
3. Meanwhile cook the orzo according to the packet instructions, take off while al dente and stir in with the shallots, garlic and courgettes, adding the balance of the stock and a little of the water the pasta has been cooked in. Add the peas at this stage and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in the asparagus tips and beans and half the parmesan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Serve sprinkled with the parmesan and the chopped mint