Broad Bean Leaf Salad

I've grown them before, but this spring I have learnt a lot about Broad Beans that I didn't know before. Like they're called Fava Beans in other countries. Also that you can eat the young sprouting leaves as the beans grow - and that these are absolutely delicious. The leaves at the top of the stalks are sweet and taste just like mini broad beans. As long as you don't go mad and start eating them when the plants are too tiny (give them a couple of feet maybe), these leaves can be a very plentiful and easy salad to grow in your garden - we've eaten them endlessly since beginning of May and they are good for throwing into pilavs or risottos too.

Salad

  • Broad Bean Leaves
  • Parsley
  • Chives
  • Spring Onion
  • Spinach Leaves

Dressing

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Lemon Juice
  • Dijon Mustard
  • 1/2 Clove Garlic
  • Pepper

SALAD: Wash and dry all your salad leaves – any salad will do to be fair; it doesn’t have to be broad bean leaves!!

Chop up the herbs and spring onion

Arrange all the salad on a plate

DRESSING: Crush and squash your garlic in a pestle & mortar and add a teaspoon of Dijon Mustard

Mix together and then add a half a tablespoon of Red Wine Vinegar

Add twice or three times as much Extra Virgin Olive Oil as vinegar

Mix the dressing together and season with pepper (I don’t tend to add salt to dressings)

SERVE: Drizzle the salad with dressing – serve with almost anything, but especially good with cold gammon

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