After my broad bean shelling festival last week, some readers inquired about my culinary intentions for the little shelled gems. A few Spring broadbean treats have emerged from my kitchen of late, though some of the photos leave a lot to be desired. Today’s recipe is based on a dish I had in a restaurant in Oamaru, New Zealand, where they served creamy white polenta with a buttery sauce of local clams and crunchy fried capers. Ever since, I have been very partial to white polenta. I’m not a purist when it comes to polenta instantanea versus 20-40 minutes of aching arm action. Sometimes you have to cheat. Instant polenta is convenient and a versatile neutral tasting base on which to layer intense flavours. This recipe is meant to be flexible: you can use any fish or seafood that comes your way, or, leave it out entirely. Once the beans are shelled, and slipped out of their rubbery casings, the hard work is done.
Polenta Bianca con Fave e Salmone. White Polenta with fresh Broadbeans and Salmon. Ingredients listed for two people.
- 1 cup instant white polenta
- stock or water to cook the polenta as per packet directions
- butter and grated parmigiano to enrich the polenta, to taste
- 200 gr Atlantic salmon
- I cup of double shelled broadbeans. ( if you are buying fresh broadbeans, you will need around 1 kilo)
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped
- butter
- black pepper
- fresh marjoram leaves, a few stalks.
Comfort food. Polenta, fave and salmon.
- Cut the skinless salmon fillets into chunks of around 6 cm. Season and lightly oil the pieces and heat a solid frying pan.
- Make the polenta according to packet instructions. This will come together within two or so minutes. Stir vigorously, then add butter and parmesan cheese. Stir until very smooth, then keep warm on a heat diffuser.
- Cook the salmon chunks to your liking. I like mine well coloured on the outside and just cooked through.
- Meanwhile, heat a small saucepan and add some butter. Add the garlic, stir for a few seconds, then add the shelled broadbeans. Stir till hot, then add the marjoram leaves and black pepper.
- Assemble the dishes in wide low bowls. First lay a bed of the hot polenta, then add the salmon chunks, then the broadbeans. Add a lemon wedge and a drizzle of your best oil.
Polenta Bianca, Fave fresche e Salmone. Buonissimo. This is a gluten-free meal that is easy to prepare, though does involve three simultaneous maneuvers. To make the dish vegetarian, leave out the fish, add more butter to the broadbean sauce, and add some shaved parmesan at the end. To veganise the dish, leave out the fish and butter and use very good olive oil and more herbs for flavour.
Older posts on broadbeans can be found in these links below. https://almostitalian.wordpress.com/2013/11/20/tagliatelle-with-broad-beans-and-smoked-salmon/ and https://almostitalian.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/italian-product-trial-farro-rice-and-barley-pilaf/
ALMOST ITALIAN 
💕leaving now for the grocery and health food store to see if I can find fava beans….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was thinking of you when I wrote up this one Ardys, my dear friend. I think I saw some frozen fave beans once in a supermarket.
LikeLike
I have seen frozen ones before too, but not today. Big fail on my mission. I will keep looking, however. This dish looks like perfection, gluten free or not!
LikeLike
Signora that looks troppo delizioso. I really should stop reading your food posts in the morning. Now I’m starving.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A Signorina, we have similar tastes in our cucina.
LikeLike
I love broad beans and luckily so does hubby so we shell them together in front of the TV – and maybe eat a few along the way too. What a gorgeous plate of simple food cooked well.
LikeLike
Shelling favas is a time consuming process, I am jealous of those two bags. This looks delicious, great combo of flavors.
LikeLike
Nothing else to say but yum!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Every ingredient in this is so appealing to me, and the combo of it all is my kind of meal. It’s on the menu for the weekend, if not tonight.
LikeLiked by 2 people
How lovely.
LikeLike
Francesca, the big supermarkets in Aus reliably have frozen broad beans, and I find they are easy to peel once defrosted (before cooking) and are generally not too bad quality, though I usually have to pick out a few that are too big and a bit mealy if serving in a light dish like your lovely spring combination…
LikeLike
We are eating and loving broad beans from our garden .. So delicious 😃
LikeLike
I rarely make polenta as living in the South it rarely crosses my radar… this looks delicious and like a must try though!
LikeLiked by 1 person
we cook from the North to the South, from the east to the West as so many Italo Australiani come from all over Italy. We take it all in.
LikeLike
Lovely dish, Francesca. Your comment about stirring the polenta made me smile. I worked with a man whose family brought his Nonna a polenta pot from Italy. It utilized electricity to stir the pot’s contents. They didn’t take into account that America’s power is different from that used in Italy. They rewired her kitchen, creating a single electrical outlet to be used by her polenta pot. 🙂
I hope I can source some great fresh fave next spring. I had little luck this past year and went without. But I’m a gardener. Next year will be better. 🙂
LikeLike
Nice recipe with good pictures 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Mistimaan.
LikeLiked by 1 person