The First Broad Beans

Oh the excitement, today we picked the first of our broad bean crop. Only just enough to add to some pasta, however, there are lots to come. This recipe uses double podded broadbeans which is a bit of extra work and possibly a bit wasteful, however, the beans are a wonderful bright green colour and look very pretty in the recipe.

Fettucine with Smoked Trout, 

Broad Beans and 

Lemon & Caper Cream Sauce

250 g fettucine 2 smoked trout fillets (1 pkt), flaked 1 leek, split into four and finely shredded a little oil, preferably lemon infused 1 cup broad beans, steamed and double podded 300 ml cream

1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon capers, chopped 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

Cook fettucine according to instructions on packet. Retain some of the cooking water to add to the sauce if necessary.

Put oil and leek into a saucepan and cook on low heat until leek is softened.

Add garlic, capers and cream, simmer over low heat for a few minutes, add flaked trout, broad beans and continue to simmer until trout and beans are warmed through.

Remove from heat and add lemon juice, parsley and cooked pasta. Add some of the pasta water if the sauce seems a little dry.

Serve with a little extra lemon zest grated over the pasta.

Double Podding Broad Beans

steamed broad beans

steamed and outer skin removed

I mostly eat them steamed with lots of butter, and salt an freshly cracked black pepper. The outer skin is full of fibre. Double podding is worth the effort if you want the finished dish to have a brighter colour and look a little more elegant. To double pod you need to remove the beans from the thick fleshy shell. steam them and then remove the thick fibrous outer skin.