Tom Hunt's broad bean and lamb pilaf with seasoned yoghurt

The SRA Award-winning chef and new Foodism columnist shares the recipe for this tasty, fresh broad bean dish

Tom Hunt's broad bean and lamb pilaf with seasoned yoghurt (photograph by Laura Edwards)

Published: Tuesday 26th July 2016

2

Preparation time 10 mins

Cooking time 25 mins

"Broad beans are delicious sautéed and have an Arabic feel with the spices and mint," says Tom Hunt of this cracking, simple summer small plate. "You can serve them with lamb as below or as a side vegetable as part of a meze or your meal."

Characteristically, Hunt – who's just begun a column in Foodism about seasonal produce, and who puts sustainability at the top of the agenda – also includes details of how to store the dish, and also how to use the leftovers. Check it out, along with the recipe, below.

Storage

Pilaf will keep really well for 3 days. It's delicious cold or reheated the next day – make sure it's properly refrigerated and piping hot right through if you reheat it.

Leftovers

To make a pilaf salad, freshen it up with crushed nuts, pomegranates and parsley. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon, extra salt and pepper if necessary.

Ingredients

The broad beans

  • 500g broad beans
  • Glug of light olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3 mint leaves
  • Pinch coriander seeds
  • ¼ lemon

The pilaf

  • 500g broad beans, podded and sautéed with mint and coriander (see below)
  • 200g lamb, leftover from a roast or neck fillet
  • 150g wholegrain basmati rice
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 450ml water
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • Small piece of cinnamon bark

Method

The broad beans

  1. Remove the beans from their pods. This should leave you with about a quarter of the weight.
  2. Heat a frying pan with a lid to a medium heat with a glug of light olive oil.
  3. Gently fry the podded broad beans with the garlic sliced for 2 minutes with a lid on the pan.
  4. Remove the lid, add the mint and spices a squeeze of lemon juice and fry for a further 2 minutes.

The pilaf

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
  2. Sautée the broad beans (as above).
  3. Shred the leftover roast lamb into bite size pieces. Otherwise sear the neck fillets of lamb seasoned with oil, salt and pepper. Pop them in the oven for 15 minutes to cook through then cut them into shreds.
  4. In a thick, ovenproof dish, gently fry the sliced onions in pomace olive oil for 15-20 minutes till they are soft and caramelized. Add the coriander and garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.
  5. Add the rice and stir, coating each and every grain with oil, onion and spice.
  6. Add the lamb, beans and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as required. Put the lid on and put in the oven for 45 minutes till the water has evaporated.
  7. Serve with yoghurt seasoned with spices, salt and pepper.

The Natural Cook by Tom Hunt (Quadrille, £20). Photography: Laura Edwards. For more information: tomsfeast.com. Check out Tom's monthly seasonal produce column in each issue of Foodism.

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