Spanish Broad Bean Salad with Serrano Ham | Ensalada de Habas con Jamón Serrano
Ingredients
- 500 g 1.1 lb – fresh broad beans (fava beans), shelled and double-peeled, or a bag of frozen baby broad beans
- 80 g 2.8 oz – Serrano ham (jamón serrano), thinly sliced or cut into strips
- 2 tbsp – extra virgin Spanish olive oil
- 1 tbsp – lemon juice or sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp – honey
- A few sprigs – fresh mint finely chopped
- To taste – salt and black pepper
Method
- Cook the broad beans in lightly salted boiling water for 2–3 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain well.
- Mix the olive oil with the lemon juice or sherry vinegar and the honey, if using, to make a light dressing.
- Gently toss the broad beans with the dressing. Add the chopped mint and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Arrange the Serrano ham slices over the beans, or gently fold them through the salad. Serve immediately, either lukewarm or at room temperature.
Notes
Young, tender broad beans are best for this salad. In Spain, you can often find baby broad beans in the freezer section of the supermarket, making this recipe easy to prepare throughout the year.
If using fresh mature broad beans, remove both the outer pods and the tough skins around the individual beans.
The honey is optional. Add it if you prefer a slightly softer, sweeter dressing.
Taste before adding extra salt, as Serrano ham is already quite salty.
Serve as a Spanish starter, a light lunch, or part of a tapas spread.