Dried broad bean, potato and fennel soup

Soak 1 hr (optional)

Prep 5 min

Cook 50 min

Serves 4

Ingredients:-

• 200g dried (shelled and split) broad beans
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small bulb of fennel, trimmed and diced, with any frilly fronds set apart
• Salt and black pepper

Method:-

• If you have time, soak the dried broad beans in water for an hour, then drain. If you don’t have time, they will just take longer to cook.
• In a soup pan, soften the onion in the olive oil with a pinch of salt, then add the beans, potato and fennel and cook, stirring, for a few minutes.
• Add 1.3 litres of water and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, half covered, for 40 minutes, or until the beans are soft and collapsing. The soup should remain slightly brothy, so add a bit more water if needed.
• In the last moments of cooking, taste and add salt and pepper as needed, as well as the fennel fronds. Serve with a swirl of olive oil.