Serves 4 / Active time 20 minutes
Ingredients
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sumac
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
700g fresh young fava beans, pods and inner shells removed*
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon za’atar
juice of ½ lemon
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup pomegranate arils
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses, for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish
2 tablespoons Labneh (see recipe below), for garnish
*Could be substituted for broad beans or thawed frozen podded broad beans if fresh are unavailable.
Method
Place the onion, sumac and red wine vinegar in a bowl, season with salt, and let the mixture sit until the onion turns bright red and becomes slightly pickled.
Place the avocado oil in a large saucepan and warm it
over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and broad beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are bright green. Season with the salt, pepper, za’atar, and lemon juice and stir to combine.
Remove the pan from heat and stir in the fresh herbs and pomegranate arils.
Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with the onion, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, and Labneh, and enjoy.
Labneh
4 cups full-fat Greek-style yoghurt
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons za’atar
Method
Place the yoghurt in a large bowl and season it with the salt; the salt helps pull out excess whey, giving you a creamier, thicker labneh.
Place a fine-mesh strainer on top of a medium-sized bowl. Line the strainer with cheesecloth or a linen towel, letting a few inches hang over the side of the strainer. Spoon the seasoned yoghurt into the cheesecloth and gently wrap the sides over the top of the yoghurt, protecting it from being exposed to air in the refrigerator.
Store everything in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours, discarding the whey halfway through if the bowl beneath the strainer becomes too full.
Remove the labneh from the cheesecloth and store it in an airtight container.
To serve, drizzle the olive oil over the labneh and sprinkle the za’atar on top.
Extracted with permission from The Blue Kitchen – 100+ Recipes From The Happiest, Healthiest Corners Of The World, by Cider Mill Press, RRP $50. Published by HarperCollins NZ.
