Delia Smith Broad Bean Salad Recipe

There is a step in this recipe that nobody wants to hear: you make the whole thing and then leave it alone for two hours before eating. Delia Smith’s broad bean salad from her Complete How to Cook needs that resting time because the beans soak up the sherry vinegar dressing and the crispy pancetta softens just enough to flavour every bite, serving 4 generously with just 5 minutes of actual cooking.

Delia says the fresh broad bean season is so short she feels the need to feast as much as possible, and this is how she does it. The sherry vinegar gives the dressing a warmer tang than white wine vinegar, and the pancetta crumbled through means this can stand alone as a first course.

More Salad Recipes:

• Pasta Salad
• Salade Nicoise
• Halloumi Salad

How Much Do You Need to Buy?

Delia warns that you need 1 lb (450g) in the shell to get just 4 oz (110g) shelled, so this recipe’s 1.8kg (4 lb) in the shell gives you about 450g of actual beans. That sounds like a mountain but it shrinks fast.

If fresh broad beans are out of season, frozen ones work. Skip the shelling and go straight to the 5-minute simmer, which is what I do most of the year.

Broad Bean Salad Ingredients

The Salad:

• 1.8kg (4 lb) young broad beans in the shell, or 450g frozen broad beans
• 110g (4 oz) sliced smoked pancetta or smoked streaky bacon
• 1 tablespoon of chopped mixed fresh herbs (parsley, chives, basil, thyme)
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper

The Sherry Vinegar Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar
• 1 large clove of garlic, peeled
• 2 level teaspoons of Maldon sea salt
• 2 level teaspoons of mustard powder
• 5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly milled black pepper

How To Make Delia Smith Broad Bean Salad

1. Crisp the pancetta: Preheat the grill to its highest setting for 10 minutes. Place the pancetta or bacon on foil and grill 7.5cm (3 inches) from the heat for about 4 minutes until really crisp. Cool, then crumble into tiny pieces.
2. Cook the beans: Place the shelled beans in a saucepan with a level teaspoon of salt. Pour in just enough boiling water to barely cover them. Bring back to the boil, cover, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Do not overcook.
3. Make the dressing: Crush the garlic and salt in a pestle and mortar until creamy. Work in the mustard powder, then add the sherry vinegar and a generous amount of coarsely milled black pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk well.
4. Combine: Drain the beans and place in a serving bowl. Toss in the dressing, then sprinkle in the crumbled pancetta, herbs, and chopped shallots. Mix well.
5. Rest: Cover the bowl with a cloth and leave for a couple of hours so the beans absorb all the flavours. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

Why the Two-Hour Rest Matters

Fresh from the pan the beans taste of beans with dressing on top, but after two hours the sherry vinegar and garlic have soaked into each one and the pancetta has released its smokiness into the oil. It tastes like a completely different dish.

I learned this the hard way by serving it immediately to guests once, then eating the leftovers the next day and realising what I had missed. Now I always make it in the morning for an evening meal.

What To Serve With Broad Bean Salad

Delia says it works as a first course on its own or alongside other salads in a cold buffet. I serve it with the Anya potato salad and a green salad for a spread that covers beans, potatoes, and leaves.

It also pairs well with grilled lamb because the sherry vinegar in the dressing picks up the char from the meat. A piece of crusty bread on the side is all you need to mop up the dressing at the bottom.

Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 340 kcal
• Fat: 24g
• Carbohydrates: 14g
• Fibre: 8g
• Protein: 16g

Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 4 servings.

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