Vegetarian mains
Saffron potatoes with Greek broad beans
The vibrant colours and flavours of Greece lend themselves well to vegan food. Often they can be just side dishes, but adding a pulse or bean makes them a more rounded meal. We’re using saffron to flavour the potatoes: par-boil them, then leave them to sit in the warm saffron water to finish cooking and soak up the colour and taste.
Ingredients
- 500g new potatoes, scrubbed and chopped into wedges
- 1 good pinch of saffron
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon
- 400g broad beans, podded
- 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
- oil for frying
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- small handful black olives, sliced
- 250g cherry tomatoes
- 1 large sprig of oregano, leaves chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tin dark lentils, rinsed and drained
- olive oil
- small bunch parsley, chopped
- small bunch mint, shredded
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Put a small saucepan of water on to boil.
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Step 2
Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan with the saffron and bay. Season with salt. Peel 3 fat strips of lemon zest; add those. Cover with water, bring to a low boil and cook for 7 mins, then remove from the heat and leave aside to soak in the saffron water.
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Step 3
Boil the broad beans for 3-4 mins, until just tender. Drain the beans and rinse under cold water to cool them. Remove the outer skins to reveal the bright green bean inside.
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Step 4
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Gently fry the onion, stirring now and then, for 8 mins.
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Step 5
Stir the garlic, olives, tomatoes and oregano. Turn up the heat and cook until the tomatoes start to soften and burst, 2-3 mins.
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Step 6
Stir in the lentils, broad beans, 2 tbsp of olive oil and a ladle of saffron water from the potato pan. Heat through, while you drain the potatoes, reserving a little more of the saffron water.
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Step 7
Into the lentils, stir half the parsley and mint. Add a splash more saffron water if needed to loosen the mix more. Season and add lemon juice to taste. Serve the potatoes with the lentils, sprinkled with remaining parsley and mint.