Photo courtesy of Mari & Nacho

Now is the time of year when we start to see fresh broad beans in the garden and in the markets.  Also known as fava beans, they are popular in Spain and Portugal, among other places.  This is a simple dish that you’ll find in a lot of restaurants in Spain, and housholds as well.  Spanish cured ham is hard to find in the United States, but  its italian cousin, prosciutto, is much easier to obtain, and makes a fair substitute.

Broad Beans with Ham

Ingredients

2 cups fresh broad beans

1/3 cup diced cured ham

1 large clove of garlic, chopped or crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion, sliced (optional)

salt

Method

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion, garlic and ham for a few minutes.  Add the broad beans, turn down the heat and cover, simmering the beans for about 10-15 minutes until they’re soft.  Serve hot.