beetroot and broad beans fresh from the allotment

[mckenzie]

I'm looking after my friends allotment while she is on holiday and today I've harvested some broad beans and some lovely beetroots.

Should I roast the beetroots whole and then maybe make a beetroot dip and eat the rest with salad?

What about the broad beans? I've put them in boiling water for a minute and podded them. What now?

Any ideas gratefully received. And can I freeze anything for my friend for her return?

TIA
TIA

Broad beans - warm salad of broad beans, minted peas. Lemon juice and good quality olive oil dressing. Lots of black pepper. Serve with hummus and a pita bread.

Beetroot and feta go nicely together. Nice with some rocket.

I’m jealous. I’d love an allotment.

thanks swimmergirl. I am LOVING it.

I have feta and I have rocket
Trouble is, I've got to roast the beetroot yet. Let's hope the DCs don't devour the feta before I get a look in.

Do I boil the podded beans lightly before putting them in the salad?

Yep cooked (boiled or steamed) beans and peas. I always cook them lightly as I like my veg to be slightly crunchy.

I love beetroot, if you make a dip add horseradish it’s amazing with beetroot.
I also make these beetroot falafel They’re seriously delicious.

Thank you both

Beetroot and horseradish sounds delicious!

Cut the washed beetroot into wedges and toss in a roasting pan with wedges of red onion, some olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt/pepper, and thyme. Roast until sticky. The first poo you have after that, watch in amazement as the toilet bowl water turns pink.

For the broad beans - you've blanched them so they can be frozen as is for your friend to use later. I like them sautéed in olive oil with diced chorizo and garlic with a bit of chopped parsley on top. A generous splash of white wine added after the flavour has come out of the chorizo into the oil and then allowed to reduce down enhances it well, especially with a couple of bayleaves thrown in the liquid. Works well as a tapas or side dish, but in larger quantities is a decent main course if served with rice. You could also add a bit of left over chicken or something.

Broad beans, mmm. I do envy the good cooks here. Luckily, DP is very keen. He made a spaghetti primavera a while ago. Spaghetti with a mixture of lovely fresh green seasonal veg, Broad beans, peas, a bit of asparagus. I don't know where the recipe is, but the BBC has one that looks similar.

I doubt you were referring to me as a good cook, as I’m not! I would love to be better but have no time.

These were just salad ideas.

I'm late to this, but my favourite use of broad beans is in a fritatta. Take them out of their grey skins after par-boiling, then make a thick fritatta with them and feta. It's absolutely gorgeous. There's just the two of us, so I get two greedy lunches out of the leftovers.

Lucky you , the easiest way is to steam the Broad beans IN their pods, esp. as they're fresh, also the beetroot there's no need to roast unless you want that roasted flavour It will 'bleed' everywhere if you chop it up before cooking. Wash them all first and you can use the water as a stock.

Though beetroot makes a fabulous salad grated RAW , no need to cook it all, Add some chopped spring onions, and crushed garlic, to your taste make a yoghurt and mustard dressing and it's done!