A mix of spring greens blended with tangy goat’s cheese slathered onto grilled ciabatta. Delish. Eat anytime - breakfast, brunch, a snack or serve with pre-dinner drinks. It’s best to use young smaller broad beans as there is no need for double peeling. If using large broad beans, peel the outer skin after the cooking step, to reveal the bright green bean inside (compost the skins). The skin can be sometimes bitter, but this extra peeling step is up to personal choice.

serves 6-8

200g podded broad beans (from about 800g unpodded beans)

½ cup mint leaves

2 tablespoons chopped chives

½ small golden shallot (or 3 green garlic), finely chopped

sea salt

black pepper

75g Main Ridge Dairy chevre

finely grated zest of half lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus extra to taste

1 small avocado, or ½ large avocado (optional)

½ loaf of Millers Bread Kitchen ciabatta, sliced

lemon wedges, to serve

extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil over high heat. Add the broad beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, then, plunge into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process. When cool, drain well. Reserve about 12 beans for garnish.

Place the herbs, shallots, salt and grinding of pepper in a processor. Blend until herbs are coarsely chopped, then add the chevre, remaining broad beans, lemon zest and juice and continue to blend until the broad beans are coarsely chopped and the mixture is well combined. If using the avocado, add and blend until just combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper or lemon juice.

Grill or toast the slices of ciabatta. Brush with olive oil. Bend and break each slice to split in half. Top with the broad bean mixture and garnish with reserved broad beans and mint leaves. Serve with lemon wedges and olive oil to drizzle over.

Recipe by Fiona Hammond, October 2022