Green Spring
Mark Rothko, Untitled, 1968
Broad beans with mint
Vignole of peas, broad beans, artichokes and Prosciutto
Green Asparagus
De Buyer Non-Stick Sauté Pan
Opinel Primavera Kitchen Knife Sets
Spring is coming and all of a sudden, the vegetables arriving at The River Cafe are green—broad beans, peas, artichokes, asparagus.
These are two recipes we are making in The River Cafe kitchen right now.
Broad beans, chicory and marinated anchovies
Serves 6
2kg broad beans in their pods
2kg chicory, stalks removed
1 bunch fresh mint with small leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
2 small dried chillies, crumbled
1/2 large lemon
12 salted anchovies
1/2 large lemon
coarsely ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Place the anchovy fillets on a plate, and squeeze the juice of the half lemon over.
Sprinkle with black pepper, grate over the zest from the lemon. Pour over enough olive oil to cover, and leave to marinated for a couple of hours.
Bring two saucepans of water to the boil, and add salt to one. Cook the chicory in this for 5-6 minutes.
Drain and cool.
Put the podded broad beans and mint into the unsalted saucepan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Drain, and while still hot, pour over 4 tablespoons oil.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a medium thick-bottomed saucepan, and fry the garlic lightly.
Add the chicory, and stir, seasoning with salt, pepper and chilli. Remove from the pan.
Place in a large serving dish, add the broad beans and their juices, and squeeze over the juice of the half lemon. Place the anchovy fillets among the broad beans and chicory.
Asparagus with anchovy butter
800g asparagus
6 anchovy fillets
150g unsalted butter
1/2 lemon
extra virgin olive oil
50g Parmesan
Soften the butter. Rinse, dry and thoroughly chop the anchovies.
In a bowl mix the anchovies with lemon juice and black pepper then with a fork mix the butter.
Boil the asparagus in salted water until tender. Drain and season and drizzle with olive oil.
Place the asparagus on warm plates. Spoon over the anchovy butter, and scatter with Parmesan shavings.
Order your El Capricho anchovies now from Shop The River Cafe.
