First spring harvest - Broadbeans

First spring harvest - Broadbeans
Originally uploaded by redmag

This is our first spring harvest for the year. Broadbeans.....and they were delicious. Soft and sweet and a lovely shade of green.

We had them with pasta - I adapted a recipe from the River Cafe Green book - there were second helpings all round. We're mentally willing the remaining beans to hurry up and get big enough to eat with all our might.

Here's the adapted recipe:

200g of shelled broadbeans
2 handfuls of coarsely ripped basil leaves
1 clove of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice from a lemon wedge (a quarter)
100g of grated pecorino
Cooked pasta for 4.

Put one half of the beans along with some salt, the garlic clove and one handful of the basil into a mortar and pestale and grind to a coarse looking mush. Combine the mush with the remaining broad beans, basil and all the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste and squeeze in the lemon juice. Add to the freshly cooked pasta and serve immediately.
Yum!