A frugal Portuguese supper

With guests embarked on a day trip to Seville, a bag of ready podded fava beans from the market, and a fully cured chouriço hanging in the larder I felt it was the evening  to maximise on the short season when we can get fresh broad beans.Their outer jacket peeled away to provide a bright green contrast to the sherry soaked bacon and Chouriço pan of plenty.This is a very traditional Portuguese spring side dish, but with a bit of embellishment I made it into a more substantial main course. Our appetites were sated and there was still a portion left for the photograph.

Broad beans with Chouriço

500g (1lb 2 oz) shelled fresh (or frozen) broad beans ( about 3kg /6lb 12oz in pods)

2 tablespoons olive oil

100g toucinho / pancetta or thinly sliced bacon

160g chouriço sausage, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

finely chopped coriander stalks

8 new potatoes , halved

3 garlic cloves, chopped

125ml ( 4 fl oz) sherry vinegar

tablespoon honey

chopped mint leaves 
   Rinse the podded beans and put them in a pan of lightly salted boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes.Drain and run under the cold tap to stop them cooking the peel the jackets off them. Set aside. Boil the new potatoes in a pan with some fresh mint. drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and sauté the bacon for a couple of minutes. Add the onion and coriander stalks and cook, stirring until it is sticky and melted add the chopped chouriço and garlic and stir until you can smell the garlic and the chouriço is starting to exude oil.Splash in the sherry vinegar followed by the honey and allow to reduce slightly till thick and sticky. Toss in the potatoes and broad beans and almagamate well. Heat through, stir in the mint and an extra splash of sherry vinegar. serve immediately with warm bread.

Reminds me must potter  up to the kitchen garden and check the progress of our own crop of Fava beans. A little bird tells me there might be pods a waitin.