Well now it's official, spring is here.

Last night we had our first new season spring lamb and what a glorious piece of meat it was. When it comes to lamb roasting joints, the part we prefer, by a country mile, is shoulder. Mind you, there is nothing wrong with a leg, it's just that the shoulder has more structure and consequently more gelatinous bits to melt into the meat, leaving it moist, sticky and juicy. Being new season lamb means wonderful tenderness as well.

But as good and all as it is, new season lamb isn't for me the real harbinger of spring, it's a certain vegetable. You could guess asparagus or artichokes, which most certainly herald in spring, but the thing that announces spring's arrival like no other are broad beans. You see with asparagus and artichokes, you can eat them all season long and their isn't much change in their flavour or texture, but with new season broad beans, there is a short window when they are young, tender and very sweet and if small enough, don't even require double peeling.

So last night, I sat down with just over a kilo of pods - what was left after D had finished snacking on the raw beans - and podded and sorted into small, not requiring skinning and those slightly larger that did. When they were podded and sorted, it's a quick blanch for about thirty seconds to loosen the skin of the larger beans, which are then slipped off, then straight into the pot with them, for some very simple cooking.

Braised Broad Beans
(serves 4)

I kg broad beans, in pods
25g butter or 25ml olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or other herb
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt & fresh ground pepper

Pod the beans, if the beans are small don't skin them, the larger ones, blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain and skin. Heat the butter or olive oil in a pan, add all the broad beans and gently braise until almost tender, then add the parsley and garlic, season with salt and pepper and gently braise for another minute or until tender. Serve.

Labels: broad beans