Summer casserole of peas, broad beans and artichokes with fried sage; saute of broad beans and mushrooms with cream. Recipes serve four
SUMMER CASSEROLE OF PEAS, BROAD BEANS AND ARTICHOKES WITH FRIED SAGE
200g broad beans
1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced
olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed with a little salt
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
4 artichokes, trimmed, cut into wedges and rubbed with lemon
juice
200g peas
16 large sage leaves
milk
seasoned flour
light olive oil or vegetable oil
Parmesan
Plunge the broad beans into salted boiling water for two minutes, remove and refresh under cold water. Remove the grey skin.
Saute the onion in eight tablespoons of olive oil for 10 minutes, without colouring. Add the garlic and parsley and saute for two minutes. Add the artichokes and continue cooking for a further five minutes, taking care not to let anything colour. Add the broad beans, peas and, a minute later, enough water to just cover the vegetables. Season with pepper and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Check seasoning and add salt to taste. Dip the sage leaves in milk, then in flour. Repeat, then shallow fry in a centimetre of oil until golden brown and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Ladle the vegetables on to plates, then top with the sage leaves and shavings of Parmesan.
SAUTE OF BROAD BEANS AND MUSHROOMS WITH CREAM
500g shelled broad beans
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
olive oil
200g button mushrooms
bunch of parsley
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 tbsp double cream
4 handfuls spinach
1 lemon
Blanch the broad beans until just tender - two or three minutes - and remove. Refresh under cold water, peel off the outer grey skin and set aside. Soften the onion in four tablespoons of olive oil for 10 minutes, without colouring. Add the mushrooms and two tablespoons of chopped parsley; then season with salt and pepper.Continue cooking, stirring every now and then, for five minutes, or until the mushrooms start to wilt slightly. Stir in the garlic, cook for a minute, then add the cream. Reduce over a low heat for five minutes. Stir in the broad beans and allow to heat through. Arrange the spinach on four plates, top with the mushrooms and broad beans, and squeeze with a little lemon juice. Scatter with more chopped parsley and serve.