Roast Vegetable and Broad Bean Salad with Fresh Basil & Almonds

As I walked into the photocopy room at work last week I was greeted by a ginormous basket of freshly picked broad beans. When I saw these little greenies, I just couldn’t wait to lightly cook them and devour them as part of a bright Spring salad.

Given we were headed to the Bach for the weekend I was hoping I could enjoy them alongside fresh fish. Luckily for me, my dreams did come true and the husband came to shore with fresh fish for a delicious lunch on the deck. One hour after being caught in the sounds, I was enjoying a plate of delicately pan fried fish, naked except for a little olive oil, lemon and salt. Simple - just as fish should be.

One of the things I love most about the Bach is its remoteness and how far away the nearest supermarket is. We rely only on what we have in the fridge, freezer, cupboard and gardens along with what is caught in the sea. If we don’t catch any fish, we rummage about to create a meal and often end up turning leftovers into a delicious lunch or supper. It’s a fantastic way to live and something I hope to employ more at home. While I’m improving at only using what’s provided, I’m aiming to be as good at home as I am down at the Bach!

Now don’t let the Bach and fresh fish digress you from the beauty of spring greens! In this recipe, I combined the broad beans with sweet roasted vegetables, baby spinach from our garden, fresh basil leaves and crumbled feta all married together with my favourite wholegrain mustard dressing.

The humble task of shelling broad beans is actually highly therapeutic. I stood on the deck with Hank by my side, shelling the beans whilst watching the Tui’s prance about the natives. While I won’t have quite the same view at home, I’m sure shelling the beans outside in the sun on the picnic table will be equally as relaxing.

This salad could be enjoyed as a side to any meal or equally satisfying on its own as a light lunch or evening supper.

Roast Vegetable and Broad Bean Salad with Fresh Basil & Almonds

2 red kumara, peeled and cut into small chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into slightly smaller pieces than the kumara
2 red onions, outer layer peeled and roughly cut into sections (I halve the onion and then cut each half into quarters)
2 Tbspns Olive Oil
1 tsp chilli flakes
4 cloves garlic, skin on and lightly crushed with the back of a knife
Pinch iodised coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 orange pepper, washed and cut into chunks
1 cup of broad beans, shelled
4 cups baby spinach, washed
½ cup basil leaves, roughly torn
1/3 cup feta cheese, roughly crumbled
1/3 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
Wholegrain mustard and lemon dressing (recipe link here)

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and line a flat tray with baking paper.
Place the kumara, carrot and red onion on the tray. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with the chilli, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and then bake in the oven for around 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place a medium saucepan of water onto the heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add a pinch of iodised sea salt and add the broad beans. Boil the beans for a few minutes until just cooked. Drain the beans and cool quickly in cold or ice water. Once cool, pop the beans out of their skins and set aside in a bowl in the fridge.
Next remove the tray of roasted vegetables from the oven and add the orange pepper to the tray. Make sure you stir everything together to ensure the pepper is covered in the oil, chilli, salt and pepper. Bake for a further 20 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender. Remove the tray from the oven and leave to cool.
Once the roasted vegetables have cooled down you are ready to assemble the salad. Place the baby spinach into a large serving bowl. Scatter over the roasted vegetables followed by the bright green broad beans.
Next add the freshly torn basil leaves, crumbled feta cheese and almonds. Pour over the dressing and enjoy!