Last week the wonderful folk at Woodlands Organic Farm sent me an organic veg box to try and I was thrilled to see some broad beans in there amongst carrots, potatoes, peppers, lollo rosso and gorgeous baby red onions. Broad beans are in season for such a short time so you have to get them whilst you can! These beauties were a cracking example – creamy pale green and deliciously fresh as I popped them from their velvety beds.
Woodlands Farm has been a family run farm since 1870 and they’ve been producing fully organic veg boxes since 2000. They are on the Lincolnshire Fens in a place called South Holland (how exotic sounding!) and their boxes can be delivered all over the East Midlands – to Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Nottinghamshire. I love the fact that they keep their distribution area small – it ensures that the boxes are very fresh and more importantly local with very low food miles. All of their veg is organically grown and the boxes are completely seasonal although what I love is that you can check online what will be in your next box! Handy for meal planning. They also raise livestock on their farm and as well as veg, you can order meat boxes. Go on.. have a little look!
I was also interested to hear that the farm also has a small area dedicated to biodynamic farming. This is very sustainable, using the seasons, livestock and plants to farm in a way which is in tune with the land. Might sound a bit hippie but it’s very interesting and well worth reading up on!
This weekend I did a lovely roast chicken to accompany all the veg in our box. As the weather has been so fab I kept it light and summery by just cleaning, quartering and boiling the potatoes with some mint and steaming the carrots. For something a bit special I then used the broad beans and small red onions for this side dish of broad beans, peas and mint butter which I found on the BBC Good Food website here but I’ve halved below for four people!
Ingredients:
350g podded broad beans
250g peas (frozen is fine)
25g butter (I used salted)
A small bunch of spring onions (I used a couple of baby red onions)
A handful fresh mint leaves
Method:
Pod the beans before you start. This means taking them out of the casing and then popping each bean out of its lighter green skin to reveal the bright green broad beans inside. Fry the onions in half the butter until soft. Add the broad beans and stock, stir and bring to the boil, cover and cook for 5 mins. Add the peas and season. Cook for 5 mins or until tender. Stir in mint and remaining butter and serve! As easy as that.
If you’re a cat owner, I would recommend that once you’ve unpacked all your lovely veggies, you keep the box. Bolt, our little man is very taken with it! In fact, I posted this picture onto the Gingey Bites facebook and was very surprised to hear that this is a common occurrence! Woodlands Farm – you could consider a sideline my friends!
Looking for more recipes with beans in? Try these:
0 thought on “A side dish of broad beans & spring onions”
used to really hate broad beans but now I love them, I think it's something to do with age and a change of pallet… love your dish. simple but very tasty.
Yes I think they are quite a grown up flavour – like olives and I don't think I liked them that much as a child! Banish memories of boiled to death beans! This is so much nicer :0)
used to really hate broad beans but now I love them, I think it's something to do with age and a change of pallet… love your dish. simple but very tasty.
Yes I think they are quite a grown up flavour – like olives and I don't think I liked them that much as a child! Banish memories of boiled to death beans! This is so much nicer :0)