These tasty morsels were served in tiny dishes with large chunks of bread to mop up the sweet juices with. Try them as an accompaniment to a meal or as an entree for a Spanish dinner party. The beans were often garnished with a hard boiled egg, though sometimes a raw egg was beaten and cooked into the beans like scrambled eggs. In Spain the beans were served unshelled, but I have shelled them as I like their bright clean colour and flavour.

Ingredients

• 500 gram bag frozen broad beans
• 6 tblsp oil (preferably olive)
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 125 grams thick-cut proscuitto ham (or use bacon), chopped
• 1 bouquet garni
• 2 juicy red tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp each salt, pepper and sugar
• 1 tblsp each chopped fresh oregano and parsley

Method

1. Blanch the beans in boiling water for one minute. Drain and refresh in cold water then peel. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a lidded frying pan and add the onion, garlic and ham. Cook 2-3 minutes until softened.
3. Add the bouquet garni, tomatoes, sherry, water, salt, pepper and sugar and simmer together for 5 minutes.
4. Add the broad beans and herbs and cook for 5 minutes or until hot and fragrant. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.

Note

1. In Spain they would have the beans cooked until very grey. Add an extra 10 minutes cooking time if you would like them this way.