Broad beans

I got a big bag of broad beans (say that 10 times fast! ) in my veg box this week and have no idea what to do with them. I bought a few once but I think they were over the hill because they tasted nasty--I tasted one of the current batch last night and it was much nicer! Anyone have a great (vegetarian) recipe for these guys?

Yes Elynor I have a fantastic recipe for you, only I hope you like garlic!! This recipe is adapted  from the Legendary Cuisine of Persia by Margaret Shaida.

1 medium onion
1-2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp tumeric
500g/1lb fresh dill/45g/ 1 /1/2 oz dried dill
1kg/2lb broad beans (shelled)
4 eggs
salt & pepper

Fry the chopped onion & garlic in olive oil until golden. Stir in the tumeric then add the dill and stir. Add the beans and cover with water, season & simmer until the beans are tender (about 15 mins).

Break the eggs into a cup one by one and add whole to the stew. Cook gently for 3-4 minutes until the eggs are poached.

Dish up with the eggs on top and serve with plain white rice.

That sounds really good, Liz. My husband and I love broad beans, although I miss the "regular" beans you could grow at home in the States.

Let me know if you try it, it's a favourite of mine. 

Also, if anyone wants a meaty version, you add cubes of lamb to the onion and garlic, cover with water & simmer before adding the dill & beans.

That sounds simply gorgeous!

Another option:

Broad Bean Salad

800g broad beans in the pod
4 baby leeks or large spring onions, sliced diagonally
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tsp roughly crushed black pepercorns
2 tbsp lemon juice or dry white wine
8 sprigs fresh thyme or savory
small handful fresh chives
small handful fresh curly parsley or lemon balm
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Pod and peel the beans, then place them in a saucepan and half-cover with boiling woater.  Return to the boil; then lower the heat, cover nad cook for two minutes.  Add the leeks and cook for a further two minutes, then drain off most of the liquid, reserving one - two tablespoons.  Using a pestle and mortar, pound the garlic, salt and peppercorns into a paste with the lemon juice.  Scissor-snip the herbs into the paste, reserving a few for garnish.  Add the reserved bean cooking liquid, then stir in the olive oil.  To serve, spoon the broad beans and leeks onto plates, drizzle on the dressing and eat warm. 

Also, if anyone wants a meaty version, you add cubes of lamb to the onion and garlic, cover with water & simmer before adding the dill & beans.

Bacon & ham are also good cooked with broad beans!

Bacon & ham are also good cooked with broad beans!

I don't doubt it but maybe not in this recipe, not sure how pork products would go with all that dill. But I could imagine a ham or sausage & tomato casserole with broad beans in it would be good.

Those both look gorgeous! Hmmm, decisions, decisions... Hopefully tomorrow I'll have the time to try one of these out. 

Broad beans are my absolute favourite vegetable. This is the first year I haven't grown any in the garden, and I'm really missing being able to go outside and pick supper. I normally just boil them in salted water, but I also have a great recipe somewhere for a broad bean dip. I'll hunt it down later on and post it.

Scrumptious Broad Bean Dip

300g/10½oz broad beans
150g/6oz cream
salt and fresh ground pepper
pinch sugar
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
150ml/¼ pint extra virgin olive oil
spring onions, to garnish
chilli powder, to garnish
ground cumin, to garnish


1. Use a vegetable mouli to mash the broad beans - this will mash the bean flesh but leave the skins behind.

2. Add some cream, salt, pepper and a hint of sugar.

3. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, olive oil and pepper to the broad bean purée.

4. Garnish with spring onions, chilli powder, ground cumin and olive oil.

That does sound nice Chary! I have a few broad beans left over so I might make that to use them up!

I just finished making a different broad bean dip and it's delicious!

Pea, Broad Bean & Mint Dip

300g shelled peas, or 600g unshelled
100g shelled and hulled broad beans, or 1.5kg unshelled
1tbsp crème fraîche
2tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Pinch of sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon

Steam the peas and blanched broad beans for 3-4min until tender. Remove leathery hulls from broad beans. Rinse in cold water. Place in a liquidiser with the other ingredients. Whizz to a smooth purée and serve

**I used more broad beans and fewer peas because I love the taste of broad beans. As long as the two add up to about 400g, it's OK. I also had to add extra creme fraiche because it was too thick for my taste.

Ok, I've been pathetic about cooking this week, but more broad beans showed up on Thursday, so I really need to do something with them! I've copied and pasted all the recipes--now I have to make a decision.

Britwife, I have a question: is that really supposed to be 500g/1lb of fresh dill?!

Yes it is definitely that much dill, bearing in mind the recipe has been somewhat Anglicised as Iranians don't tend to use formal measurements. Also, I usually used dried dill so you don't need so much of that as its more pungent than fresh.