Recipes

Chosen from Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook, she writes "Once broad beans get big and leathery, or they've been in the freezer for more than two or three months, don't eat them on their own. Turn them into a sort of lemony hummus, delicious dolloped on crostini, or dipped into with pieces of toasted pitta bread, with fresh shredded mint scattered over the top."

Serves 6-8

    150g broad beans, shelled weight
    3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
    Handful of finely chopped mint, plus more than finishing
    Salt and black pepper
    A few sliver of Pecorino cheese

For the Crostini

    Fresh good-quality white bread (a baguette works well)
    Extra virgin olive oil
    2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half
    Salt

Method

To make the crostini, cut the bread into finger-thick slices and drizzle the olive oil over them, then toast them on a medium-hot barbecue, grill or griddle pan until brown and crisp. Lightly scrape one side with the cut side of the garlic and sprinkle with salt.

Boil the broad beans for 5 minutes or so until they're tender. If you have time, squeeze them out of their skins. Puree them with most of the olive oil, the lemon juice and zest, mint and plenty of salt and black pepper. Without skins, the beans make a smoother puree.

Spread the crostini with the topping and sprinkle with olive oil, slivers of salty Pecorino and a scattering of mint.