The last meal from my memorable time in the province of Murcia was one that included not only the best and freshest broad beans from the region, but combined them with a real favourite of mine. Morcilla.
Not to everyone's taste, i know. Although I am proud of how many people I have converted to the joys of this unique sausage.
So now we know that there is a recipe for this classic Andalucian dish going back to the 16th century. This is a Spanish meal that has stood the test of time.
Remember to use fresh broad beans if at all possible and do not, as some bars and restaurants are prone to do, drown the dish in oil. Yes you want some juices to soak up with some nice bread, but the beans should not be swimming and asking for a life raft!
I have written recently on this site about both red peppers and morcilla de burgos. Each excellent examples of how good Spanish food can be. How can I combine the pair in one meal?
That was the challenge I set myself. Then I came across this recipe which brings them together in one tasty meal.
I have been known to sit and eat a vast quantity of broad beans (habas) just as they come. Natural. When they are fresh in Spain they are a delight. Of course there are many other ways of eating them. Habas con Jamon (Broad beans with Ham) is a classic Spanish dish. But what about using them as part of a sauce to accompany lamb or, as is the case here, pork chops. I believe the sweetness of young broad beans is particularly noticeable when served with pork.
Broad beans are something i would never have eaten prior to living in Spain. Now i can eat a plate of them on their own. But, better still, why not put them in a Spanish casserole? With veal. I have written elsewhere on this site about how veal in Spain is not veal as people know it in some other countries, including the UK. But make no mistake, when ternera is served to you in a restaurant it is veal, and not steak as north Europeans know it.
Where i live pork is the meat of choice. Locals love it and my nearest butchers sells more pork than any other meat. They are obsessed with pork in Andalucia. As they are with broad beans. So here is a recipe combining the two ingredients.
Serve me a plate of habas (broad beans) and I am a happy boy. So easy to prepare and cook, so delightful to taste and so very filling. Here's a recipe where dried green beans (what the French call flageolets) are the central ingredient. The dish hails from near the French border in Catalonia.
Artichokes are an acquired taste but, in Spain, artichokes (Alcachofas) are a delight and you must try them. Do remember when preparing them that the artichoke is a member of the daisy family and that it is a flower head. You can find them for sale at many a Spanish market. This dish is very popular in Granada as both ingredients have grown in what remains of the fertile valley known as the vega (as pictured here).
Here's a recipe using a challenger for my favourite fish. Cuttlefish (sepia) is particularly good in Spain. When served with broad beans, it is a delight. Ingredients:- 1 kilo of whole cuttlefish. 2 tablespoons of olive oil. 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced. 250 grams of shelled and skinned broad beans (fava): 150 mils of dry sherry. 1 teaspoon of fresh marjoram or oregano leaves. Salt and black pepper.
