June is for beans and peas

June Recipe

This is the perfect recipe for making the most out of the vibrant and full of flavour early summer peas, beans and hedgerow goodies. I’ve paired these glorious greens with a wonderful aged goats cheese from sustainable Somerset cheesemaker White Lake Cheese.

For 2 hungry people

8 Broad beans, in their pods

1 red Chill

Lemon zest, from half a lemon

EVOO

200g Broad beans (double podded)

6 Runner beans, sliced diagonally

200g Pea shoots

Wild fennel, or grassy fennel tops

Rachel Reserva, goats cheese from White Lake Cheese

20 Roasted, whole Almonds

EVOO

Burnt lemon Dressing

1 Lemon

2 tbsps EVOO

Toss the whole broad beans and sliced runner beans in enough EVOO to coat, place them, in batches, in a smoking hot griddle pan, or BBQ. Let them blacken and soften, turning occasionally until the outside is charred and they are tender (around 5 minutes).

Mix the whole broad bean pods with finely chopped red chilli, lemon zest, sea salt and EVOO, these are ready to be devoured. Allow the runner beans to rest.

For the dressing, slice the lemon in half and place cut side down in a hot pan, allow the lemon to caramelise and become golden. Now add the juice of the lemon to EVOO and season with salt and pepper.

Add the runner beans, podded board beans and pea shoots to a bowl and spoon over the lemon dressing.

Transfer to a serving platter and scatter over the almonds and wild fennel. Generously tumble over slices of the goats cheese.

Serve with a gently warmed sourdough baguette and a glass of icy Albariño from Portugal.