This one is cheating really. It’s not a new recipe at all. It’s just Broad Beans on Toast blended. We are still picking lots of broad beans but it is getting towards the end of the season, and there’s been six weeks now when, if I ask “what would you like for breakfast?” the answer is inevitably, unequivocally, eagerly “broad beans”.
They are my partner’s very favourite breakfast, which creates a problem. I can’t get past the flavour combination of fresh broad beans (fava beans) with lemon, garlic, onion and olive oil. And he can’t get past broad beans. How many ways can you do broad beans with lemon, garlic, onion and olive oil? This way makes an appearance a couple of times a week.
Broad beans are a good source of low GI complex carbs, protein, and fibre, which means that they keep your blood sugar stable for a long time, so quite apart from the l-dopa, a broad bean breakfast makes you feel good all day.
The Recipe:
Makes enough for two breakfast bowls.
It’s fastest in a pressure cooker, but a pot with a tight lid is fine.
Saute an onion, diced, in a good swig of olive oil. When the onion is starting to brown, add
- two (or more) cloves of garlic, crushed,
- a cup of shelled broad beans, (I don’t double-peel – too finicky for me, and the fibre in the outer bean is the bit that’s really good for you).
- a cup of water,
- juice of half a lemon
- a grinding of black pepper
- and a good pinch of salt
Bring to pressure and pressure cook for 5 minutes, or put the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes watching it at the end. You want the beans to be very soft in just a little liquid.
While it is cooking, make some toast and cut into dipping fingers.
Tip the broad beans into a blender, or use a stick blender to blend to a thick dip consistency. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon juice.
Serve with soldiers for dipping for breakfast or for supper, or, they also work well like this as a side dish with meat (reminiscent of mushy peas), or cold as a dip or spread.
(The Breakfast Cereal Challenge is my 2011 challenge – a year’s worth of breakfast recipes based on in-season ingredients, that are quick and easy enough to be a real option for weekdays, and that are preferable, in nutrition, ethics, and taste, to the overpackaged, overpriced, mostly empty packets of junk food marketed as “cereal” .The Muesli Bar Challenge was my 2010 Challenge.)
This is very timely as i have been wondering what to do with the last of the broad beans…we hadn’t actually ever had them before growing in the garden so they have been a new discovery!
Thanks for the recipe…sounds yummy.
Jode
BBs are so seriously scrumptious! Very marginal here north of Briz on the water – but the tips are divine as are the very immature pods. Just top and tail and steam whole. Drrooool!
Yum! This reminds me of ful (fava bean dip) which is often served in the Middle East for breakfast…
Yum Linda – this looks as if it would set you up for a big day. I love a little Chervil with butter on my broad beans but this is a great way I think.
Mark
Hi Celia, broad beans are the same as fava beans (Vicia faba). I think of all the world cuisines, Middle Eastern flavours are my favourite.
Hi Elaine, they’re a bit marginal here too, Northern NSW. But I get about 6 weeks of bearing if I plant early enough.
You’re just that tad cooler and inland a bit too, I’m 1k from the coast; makes enough difference for you to get a crop and I rarely do although some folks in cooler parts of Briz and surrounds do get a crop. When do you plant? Peter Cundall reckons the earlier you can plant before the shortest day makes the plants sturdy and enthusiastic to bear. At least in Tas! I have serious partiality to middle eastern food 🙂
This year I got good results with Aquadulce broad beans planted in mid-April. I’m a bit higher too – 300 metres above sea level. At the margin like this every little bit helps.
Mine are coming through now in Tassie and am looking forward to having them for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner.
Pingback:Ful Medames without the Ful (or Lemony, Garlicy, Peppery Beans)