Broken Broad Beans and Fennel Seed Gluten Free Crackers
Second May recipe prepared by Tim Maddams and the ESSE demo team
For the crackers
Ingredients
- 100g gluten free flour
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 100ml water – check and test
Method
To make the crackers, heat your oven to 180 degrees c, or aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of moderate or very low end of hot, and line a baking sheet with non stick parchment.
Drizzle a little oil onto the parchment. Mix all the ingredients together to make a flowing batter. Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and place the sheet in the oven for around 15 minutes, once crisp and golden turn the oven off or remove to a cooler oven to thoroughly crisp up the cracker. Break into pieces for serving.
For the broken beans
Ingredients
- 200g podded broad beans
- A few thyme leaves
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 200ml good olive oil
- Fresh oregano
- Salt, pepper
- 1 clove of garlic chopped
- 100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
Method
For the broken beans, we are aiming for a nearly pesto come hummus type thing but very much more chunky with plenty of bean like bits to add texture and flavour peaks to this dish that makes an excellent starter or snack course. Begin by blanching the beans in a little salted water very briefly, just for a minute perhaps and then remove them to cold water to rapidly cool them so you can then remove their little bitter outer skins. If the beans are very young and small, you can skip that step but as the beans get bigger the skins will toughen up and become bitter.
Pop the beans in a blender with half the oil and half the cheese along with all the rest of the ingredients except the fresh oregano. Blend on pulse until a coarse paste is formed and remove from the mixer. Add a little more oil and the oregano and season to taste.
Serve up with the remaining cheese sprinkled over and the crackers on the side.
