Avocado and broad bean dippy platter
Servings: 6
This is a beautifully fresh dippy platter that’s perfect for making ahead and assembling just before guests arrive for a spring fling. You could also poach some eggs to pop on top to turn into a brunch entertainer’s dream. The flavours are North African, spiked with fiery harissa paste for heat and depth, but you could sub the harissa out for a half teaspoon of paprika (whatever kind you have!), or any other spice mix you have handy. That’s the beauty of broad beans – they’re a bit like avocado, so very neutral in flavour and creamy in texture, ready to be spiked, spiced, and topped with all manner of yummy things.
Share with a friend
PRINT
Ingredients
- 500 g freshly podded or frozen broad beans
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for serving
- 4 spring onions finely sliced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and sliced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup each chopped parsley, dill, coriander and mint or whatever soft herbs you have
- 1 tsp harissa paste
- 1 large red onion peeled and finely sliced with the grain
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or any light vinegar
- 250 g cherry tomatoes roughly chopped
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp butter
MYO dukkah pita chips
- 4 thin pita pocket breads the kind you’d wrap a shawarma in
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup Dukkah seasoning shop bought or MYO dukkah
Instructions
- For the MYO dukkah pita chips, heat oven to 180°C fan (200°C conventional).
- Line a couple of large baking trays with baking paper. Mix the olive oil with the MYO dukkah seasoning in a bowl. Split the pitas in half and on the rough sides and brush generously with olive oil, then sprinkle over the seasoning.
- Cut the seasoned pitas into triangles and place in one layer on baking trays, then bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden (depending on thickness) until dry and crispy. Cool completely on the baking rack and continue to cook remain pitas until all done. Store in an airtight container for at least 3 days.
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil. If using fresh broad beans, pod them, for frozen, just chuck them straight in to blanch for 4-5 minutes (depending on their size). Scoop them out into salad spinner or colander over a bowl and run them under cold water to cool.
- Once the broad beans are cool enough to handle, peel the second skin and release the vibrant bright green beans to add to food processor.
- In the meantime, sauté the spring onions, garlic and cumin on low heat for 5 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add mix to broad beans along with lemon juice, zest and the freshly chopped herbs (keeping some aside for garnish) and harissa paste.
- Blend until super smooth and whipped (adding a tablespoon or two of warm water from the kettle if it needs to loosen up a touch). Taste for salt and pepper and set aside.
- Place half of the sliced red onion in a bowl and massage in the sugar and vinegar until the sugar dissolves for a quick pickle (quickle!).
- Heat butter in the pan and sauté the other half of the red onion and almond slivers until the onions are softened, the almonds golden and the smell delicious.
- To serve, spoon the dip into a flatish serving bowl and scatter over the cooked and raw onions, almonds, tomatoes, fresh herbs and olive oil.
- Serve with dukkah pita chips or other crackers.
Notes
Top tips
Harissa paste can be purchased at the supermarket. It adds a warm chilli kick to all kinds of stews and braises, and is great with shakshuka. Buy it in a tube and it’ll last for ages in the fridge
If you are a herb or two short, no problem – there’s plenty of flavour and green stuff to carry this one regardless.
