Black Rice, Rocket, Bean and Semi-Dried Tomato Salad

This salad is very versatile.  You can use asparagus and broad beans in early Spring, peas and baby carrots or beans and grilled zucchini. Ingredients 250g black rice 250 grams of mixed coloured beans, steamed and cut into 2 cm pieces 100 grams of sugar snap peas, steamed and cut into bite size pieces 3 spring onions, roughly chopped or the top of an onion 3/4 cup semi-dried tomato coarsely chopped 250 grams baby rocket 1 lemon 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 large clove of garlic, crushed 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar Sea salt and (lots of) freshly ground black pepper

Method 1.  Cook rice in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 35-40 minutes. Drain well, spread out on a plate or a rimmed baking sheet, and let cool. 2. While the rice is cooking, steam beans until tender.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Cut the beans into bite size pieces. Steam sugar snaps until they sweat.  Remove from heat and place into iced water. Cut into bite size pieces 3.  Wash and spin the rocket. lay onto a wide salad tray. 4.  When the rice is cool, sprinkle over rocket.  Add cooled beans and semi-dried tomatoes. 5.  In a container mix the dressing of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper.  Dress the salad. Then zest the lemon and its juice over the top. Source - Jane Clift - One of our CSA members

Broad Bean Pasta

This is very simple recipe with a few ingredients.  I love recipes like this as they allow each ingredient to be tasted.  We have found that children like this as well.  If you want to be extra decadent, you can double pod the broad beans.  The broad beans we are harvesting are very fresh and young and we have not needed to do this extra step. Ingredients 500grams Broad Beans, podded zest from a lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon 2 green garlic cloves diced finely small bunch of mint or parsley, finely sliced Feta to crumble salt and pepper to taste olive oil 500 grams fettuccine

Method 1. Heat water and follow instructions for cooking the pasta. 2. Lightly steam podded broad beans for 3-5 minutes. Run under cool water and set aside. 3. Make a dressing with the lemon zest, lemon juice, green garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. 4. Drain pasta.  Mix with broad beans, dressing and herbs.  Adjust seasoning. Crumble feta over the top and serve.

Broad Bean and Quinoa Salad

I love quinoa salads.  Quinoa is a high protein seed, more closely related to the spinach and beet root family then other grains.  It contains contain essential amino acids like lysine and good quantities of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. It is also delicious, light and easy to accessorize.

Ingredients 1 cup quinoa 1 lemon 800 grams broad beans, podded 200 grams feta 1/2 cup parsley finely chopped 1 Spring garlic clove finely diced (This is an immature garlic clove with its greens still green) 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsps white balsamic vinegar salt and pepper

Method 1. Rinse quinoa in a fine strainer until water runs clear.  Place in medium saucepan with 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until almost all of the water has been absorbed.  Remove from heat. 2. Break feta into 1cm*1cm pieces.  Zest the lemon over it and add olive oil, vinegar, juice from 1/2 the lemon, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  Allow to marinate. 3. Steam podded broad beans for about two minutes - until the beans are just tender.  Transfer to a bowl of iced water. Pop the beans from their inner pods. 4.  Add the cooled quinoa to the feta and broad beans.  Adjust seasonings to taste. Add extra olive oil if necessary.

Simple Broad Beans

Broad beans this fresh and young are beautiful prepared simply.  When they are young, I cook them in a hot wok. Ingredients 350-400 grams broad beans 1 large knob of butter 2 shallots or 1 small red onion 1-2 large cloves garlic minced salt and pepper

Method 1. Shell broad beans and set aside. 2. Heat the wok on high heat.  Add butter, shallots and garlic and stir while cooking for about a minute. 3. Add broad beans tossing them in the butter.  Keep tossing occasionally and cook for one minute after they sweat (about 3 minutes in total) or until tender and cooked through. 4. Remove from heat and generously salt and coat with freshly ground black or white pepper. 5. Optional - We like to add the broad bean tops for the last minute to make an attractive side dish. Add broad bean tops and toss to coat with the mix. Cook until wilted and the stems are tender.

Broad Bean Shoots

Just like broad beans, these tops are good simply - with butter, salt and pepper.  You can add the shallot and garlic to make it spicy.  You could also first cook some bacon and then make this recipe in the bacon fat.  They are also delicious with butter placed over the top of them when you serve them (what isn't delicious with that much butter!).  They are filled with nutrients and vitamins. Ingredients 1 large knob of butter 8 Broad Bean tops 2 shallots 1 large clove garlic salt and pepper

Method 1. Heat the butter in a pan that will hold the broad bean tops. 2. Add shallots and garlic and gently brown. 3. Add broad bean tops and toss to coat with the mix. Cook until wilted and the stems are tender. 4. Serve as a side dish or with feta cheese on a toasted piece of sourdough.

Pea and broad bean salad with nasturtium leaves and bagna cauda

Peter's mother found this recipe in the good food section of The Age on Tuesday 17 September. While not essential, the nasturtium leaves add a delicious accent to this Spring salad with their distinctive peppery notes. 

Ingredients 1kg broad beans (to yield 150g double podded beans, plus a handful to garnish) 3 handfuls fresh peas 200g sugar snap peas 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped Salt flakes Freshly ground pepper Extra virgin olive oil 150g frozen peas, refreshes in boiling water 1/2 bunch mint, picked and roughly chopped 5 small radishes 100g soft goats cheese 2 handfuls nasturtium leaves lemon, to serve

Method 1. Blanch the broad beans for three minutes in simmering water.  Lift out and immediately refresh in a bowl of ice water.  Follow by blanching peas then sugar snaps, refreshing in iced water each time - this stops the cooking and helps to keep them bright green. 2. Split the sugar snap peas. Double pod the broad beans, leaving a handful or so of the smaller ones whole to garnish. 3. In a mortar, add garlic, some salt and pepper and a splash of oil and grind to a paste.  Add the podded broad beans, the refreshed frozen peas and mint and pound to a rough paste - you can add a little oil if necessary but it should be a quite stiff. Check and adjust seasoning. 4. Put the remainder handful of broad beans, fresh peas, whole radishes and split sugar snap peas in a bowl, season, drizzle with oil and toss through. 5. Spread the bean paste across a large platter and arrange the pea and broad bean mix on top.  Finish with the goat's cheese, nasturtium leaves and a squeeze of lemon.  Spoon over some bagna couda and serve.

note - I had to google bagna couda and found several recipes. I tried this one.  Jamie Oliver also has a recipe which includes many of the vegetables you are receiving in the box over the next few weeks.

We are happy to include some nasturtium leaves into your box if you request them.

Broad Bean Dip

Ingredients350g podded broad beans (they will weigh about 200g when double-peeled) 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped sea salt pepper 3 tbsp cooking water ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ tsp paprika

Method 1. Steam the podded broad beans for about 3-5 minutes. Reserving one-third of a cup of the steaming water. Run the beans under cold water for 30 seconds and double-peel. 2. Heat a small non-stick frying pan and toast the cumin seeds until fragrant, keeping them moving with a wooden spoon. Tip into a mortar and pestle and grind to a powder. 3. Place 2 tbsp of the cooking water in a blender with all ingredients other than the olive oil and blend to a smooth puree. 4. With the motor running add the olive oil. Taste for seasoning and adjust. If the puree is too thick, thin with the rest of the cooking water. Spoon into a shallow dish and drizzle the puree with a bit more oil and a sprinkle of paprika.