Super simple broad bean dip

Image courtesy of Flickr

This week the bottle & jar store team are celebrating our seasonal ingredient of the week ..... introducing the broad bean.

These beautiful bright green beans make for a super simple yet stunning starter.

My absolute favourite way to enjoy these lovely little beans is smashed up, blitzed in a blender and packed full of flavour. I use a few essential ingredients - a glug of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, salt & pepper, garlic and of course wonderfully seasonal broad beans. I like to add a fresh herb of choice and find basil or mint work particularly well.

This recipe works well hot and cold and works as a great alternative to mashed potato in the summer months. Not only does do they add a new texture and a splash of vibrant colour to your dinner plate but broad beans are super-healthy and packed full of goodness.

For a stunning and versatile starter or snack, perfect for a picnic check out the recipe below. You really don't have to be too scrupulous with quantities, flavour to your taste.

Image courtesy of Flickr

• A few good handfuls of broad beans
• A good glug of extra-virgin olive oil
• A small bunch of mint or basil (roughly torn)
• 1 garlic clove
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt & pepper seasoning to taste
• handful of grated parmesan

Method: Place the beans in a pan of boiling water and cook until tender (approx five minutes), drain beans and place in a blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until required texture. Decant into an Excellsens jar. This will keep in the fridge for 2/3 days. 

195ml Excellsens Jar

This dip is also wonderful dolloped onto some crusty bread as a rustic and attractive canape.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do....

Keep an eye out for the next recipe coming very soon.

Penny