Oh you really know it’s summer when there’s a bowl of pea pods alongside the fruit bowl!

I fully intend to eventually grow these in the garden. However I just know there is no chance, given my history as a weegirl getting into a neighbours garden and pinching them off the climbing canes, that they will ever make it until ripe.

Just like me, my children thrive on not getting out of the greenhouse with any fruits for their labour! Goodness knows how it will be when we pop over to Craigies Farm next week for a fruit picking day!

Broad bean, pea and ham hock salad

200g of Broad beans , podded

200g of fresh peas, podded

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil 

1 tbsp of cider  vinegar

1 mild red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped

1 spring onion, trimmed and finely sliced

1 small bunch of flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1 tbsp of chopped fresh mint

100g of pulled ham hock

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

1 Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the broad beans and cook for two minutes.

2 Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of iced water to refresh.

3 Re-boil the water, add the peas and cook for one minute then drain well and refresh in another bowl of iced water.

4 Drain all of the vegetables, pat dry with kitchen paper and then place them in a large bowl and stir in the oil and vinegar.

5 Just before serving, stir the chilli, spring onions, parsley, mint and ham hock into the peas and beans and add the pea shoots, if using.

6 Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.