German cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Broad Beans in Cream Sauce

Broad beans in a light roux with cream and summer savory, a classic Lower Rhine summer dish.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 kg broad beans (shelled approx. 500 g)
• 2 sprigs summer savory
• 1 onion
• 40 g butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 300 ml vegetable stock
• 150 ml cream
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Shell the broad beans from the pods; for larger beans, peel off the tough skin after a brief blanch so the beans stay tender.
2. Cook the beans with one sprig of summer savory in salted water for 10–12 min. until soft, then drain, reserving 200 ml of the cooking water.
3. Finely dice the onion, sauté in the butter for 3 min. until translucent, sprinkle in the flour and sweat for 2 min. while stirring, without letting it color.
4. Gradually add the vegetable stock and the reserved cooking water, stir until smooth and let the sauce simmer gently for 5 min.
5. Stir in the cream, add the beans and let everything simmer for 3–4 min. until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
6. Stir in the second sprig of summer savory and the chopped parsley, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and serve with boiled potatoes.