The end is nigh … the end of the broad bean season, anyway. This is such a simple salad I thought twice about posting it (‘am I insulting the skills of my readers?’) but hey, it’s delicious. It’s as good as a barbecue side dish as it is packed into a lunchbox for work, so here it is as a sort of bonus recipe.
If you don’t like the outer skins on broad beans, slip them off after cooking. I don’t really think it’s necessary for this dish if the beans aren’t tough and old (in which case you should be using them for something else), but a double-podded broad bean can often convert those who swear they detest them.
Broad Bean and Goat's Cheese Salad
Ingredients:
About 500g podded broad beans
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small bunch of mint, leaves picked and cut into thin ribbons, a few tender tips saved to garnish
About 200g firm goat’s cheese
Method:
Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil, add the beans and cook at a simmer until tender. Drain thoroughly. If you want to double pod, do them after you’ve cooked them, it’s much easier.
Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. place the beans in a serving bowl and mix through the dressing while they’re still warm.
Once cool, add the goat’s cheese, cut into cubes, and the shredded mint. Check the seasoning, garnish with the mint sprigs, and serve.
good one! no, u r not insulting our skills: there is bad cooking and then good cooking, no matter how complex/simple that is. most Italian cooking requires no particular skill/technique and yet …ecc eccc…. the Italian equivalent of this would be pecorino e fave/pecorino cheese and young broad beans… delicious
+ have u ever tried Marò? is similar I guess to yr broad bean hummus: it comes from Liguria and it is a pesto of young, podded broad beans, a little garlic (not much), oil and mint: very good on pasta/bruschetta….
ciao, stefano
I haven’t tried Maro but I am going to now! It sounds delicious. Linda xxx
Nothing wrong with a simple recipe if it tastes fabulous! Would love to see it linked up to #CookBlogShare which I am hosting again this week if you have a moment
Will do … it may take me a day or two though because I have house guests at the moment. xxx
Sadly, broad beans from anywhere but your own garden are rarely as young as I’d like, so I’ve learned to think of skinning them as a soothing occupation. Why ARE shop-bought beans always so big? I’d pay more for younger ones.
Interesting question, I don’t know, I’ll have to find a broad bean farmer to ask. I like double podding them too, it’s quite therapeutic. xxx
Broad beans are so delicious!
I agree! 🙂
I think some of the most wonderful salads are the simplest as well. This one is a perfect example. Of course, I like multi-layered involved salads as well, so what do I know?!!!
Thanks, Mimi. Yes agreed, layered salads can be lovely. 🙂
Sometimes, simple is best 😀 I absolutely love the goat’s cheese/bean combo! The added mint is a new twist on the combo for me (summer savory in heaps is what I usually go with), but since our market is brimming with all sorts of beans right now, I’ll be able to give your minty version a go this weekend~ Thanks for the recipe~!
Thanks, pleased you like it. Lx