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Minted fava beans with smashed potatoes

This chunky fava bean puree is tossed through roasted smashed potatoes. It’s a dish of contrasts - carby, crispy-edged potatoes brightened by the bright, herbaceous, creamy beans. It is a dish that speaks to the life-force of spring, even when eaten during deep winter.

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Roasted potato pieces with green herb sauce, garnished with fresh mint leaves and sunflower seeds on a white ceramic plate.

Consider this chunky fava bean puree as a condiment that can be served in many ways. Fold it through hot pasta, or spread it onto crusty bread. Or use it as a base for any roasted vegetables such as cauliflower or carrots.

Minted fava beans with roasted potatoes

Serves

Ingredients

900 g fingerling or small potatoes, washed and cut into 4 to 5 cm ( 1.5 to 2-inch) chunks
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
450 g shelled frozen or fresh fava (broad beans)
15 g mint leaves (large handful), plus more to serve
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast or grated parmesan
juice of 1/2-1 lemon (2-4 tablespoons), plus more to serve
2-3 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds or pine nuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425˚F / 220˚C. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 minutes. Drain. Allow to cool for 3-4 minutes and then transfer them to a baking sheet. Using the bottom of a glass, jar or heel of your hand, crush the potatoes. Drizzle generously with olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper and place in the oven and roast until golden and crispy, 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring another pot of salted water to the boil. Add the fava/broad beans and blanch until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop them from cooking further. Drain again.
In a blender or food processor, add the fava/broad beans, mint, garlic, nutritional yeast, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice and season well with sea salt. Pulse several times until it becomes a chunky paste (it does not have to be smooth and you can leave it chunkier if you prefer).
Transfer the fava/broad bean mix to a shallow wide bowl or platter. Add the warm potatoes, drizzle with a little olive oil, season with sea salt and black pepper and gently toss to coat the potatoes. To serve, squeeze over more lemon juice, top with mint leaves and scatter over the sunflower seeds or pine nuts.

Tips and Variations

Frozen fava beans are fairly common in America but if you can’t find them, substitute with frozen peas. They are a more than worthy substitute. Feel free to also dabble with the herbs. While mint is energizing, basil or parsley would bring a nice edge too. Of course, I am always making a case for dill, so give that a go. If you want more greens, add some baby spinach leaves or rocket/arugula or toss in some charred asparagus or sugar snap peas.