Alice says: Aren’t these tostadas pretty? A celebration of broad (fava) beans, double-podded to show off their spring greens. They taste as good as they are handsome; the pickled radishes and avocado cream being essential components, I feel.

Serves 4 – makes 20

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

200g podded broad beans
600g butternut squash, cut into
2cm cubes 2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
½ tsp dried chilli (hot pepper) flakes or smoked paprika
100g radishes, finely sliced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp caster sugar
2 large, ripe avocadoes, halved and stoned
juice of 1 large lime
1 handful of coriander leaves
20 x 10cm diameter fresh corn tortillas
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely shredded
100g Wensleydale or feta cheese, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

hot sauce

Method

Blanch the podded broad beans in boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Drain in a colander, refresh under cool water, then ‘double-pod’ by nicking the pale green outer skins with a knife and slipping each bright, jewel-green bean out. Chill until needed.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Coat the squash in the olive oil, oregano, coriander seeds and chilli or paprika. Roast for 35–40 minutes, until caramelized and tender. Set aside to cool, then combine with the double-podded broad beans.

To pickle the radishes, put them in a non-reactive (china or plastic is ideal) container with the red wine vinegar, sugar and a good pinch of salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Put the avocado flesh in a blender with the lime juice and half of the coriander leaves. Blitz to a buttery purée and season to taste, adding extra lime juice if it needs it.

Toast the tortillas in a dry frying pan set over a very high heat, turning with tongs until both sides are toasted and even look slightly charred (in spots). This will take about 1 minute on each side.

Lay the toasted tortillas out on a serving platter or board and top each with a heaped teaspoon of avocado cream, followed by a spoonful of roast squash and broad beans, drained radishes, remaining coriander leaves, spring onions and crumbled cheese. Serve with hot sauce, if liked.

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