29th May 2017

This is a recipe we’ve made at many a ‘Dips ‘n Sticks’ workshop or after-school cook club session, delicious for everyone but a great way of getting children to enjoy broad beans. Even very little children can have fun shelling the beans (or peas); give them a bunch and I’ll bet they won’t be able to resist popping a few straight in their mouths. And anything in tasty (unrecognisable!) dip form is an enticing way to get little ones eating veggies they’re less keen on.

To maximise on the good stuff offer a big selection of raw dipping receptacles to go with your dips, think carrot, pepper, cucumber, courgette and celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap or mange tout peas, apple or pear slices etc. Add to the adventure by getting the children to cut their own like we do in our sessions, even very little kids can saw through a pepper, courgette, cucumber or pear with a table knife. 

It’s a really simple recipe too, perfect to get children to make on their own, obviously with adult supervision on the whizzing bit if you don’t use a potato masher. 

The dip is totally delicious with peas too. Out of season do use frozen broad beans or peas. 

Enjoy!

Louisa

INGREDIENTS

150g shelled Broad Beans (or Peas or a mixture of both)
60g Feta Cheese
½ Lemon, zest and juice
10 Mint leaves, torn
1 pinch of Black Pepper

METHOD

1. Steam or boil the beans in a little water for 2 to 4 minutes until just tender. Drain and cool in cold water. Shell the larger and tougher broad beans if you wish.
2. Place the cooled beans in a medium sized bowl with all the other ingredients.
3. With an adult supervising whiz the ingredients together with a hand held stick blender until fairly smooth. A few lumps and bumps are fine. OR place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse. OR you could mash together with a fork or potato masher.