Someone else who loves the plant, and the salad, is Melbourne chef Matt Wilkinson. He loves them so much he wrote a book about them and was nice enough to share one of the most fragrant, autumnal recipes with us. What a nice guy. Say hello to broad bean, mint, parsley and pomegranate fattoush, people. Then make it and eat it. Yum.

This is what Matt says about the recipe:

I have this love affair with Arabic flavours; it all started when I moved to Melbourne. There is something magical about the flavours, texture, ease and yet complexity to the dishes – none more so than a fattoush, seasonally changing to whatever is around.

Ingredients

• 1 large pitta bread
• olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 175 g (6 oz/1 cup) podded fresh broad (fava) beans
• 1 large handful mint, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 large handful flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• seeds of 1 pomegranate
• juice of 1 lemon
• good pinch of ground sumac

Method

Preheat the oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Take the pitta bread and lightly wet it; this will help to ‘steam bake’ the bread, keeping it a little moist, but crispy on the outside. Place on a baking tray, then into the oven, and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side, or until starting to go a little crisp. Take out of the oven and brush with some olive oil, then sprinkle the cumin over. Once cool, tear into small pieces.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broad beans and cook for 2 minutes. Remove using a slotted spoon and refresh under cold water. When the broad beans are cool enough to handle, gently squeeze them out of their leathery skins.

Roughly chop the broad beans and place in a mixing bowl. Add the mint, parsley, onion, radish and pomegranate seeds and toss gently to combine. Add the lemon juice, then drizzle on enough olive oil to coat. Add the toasted pitta pieces and the sumac, toss again and serve.

The fattoush also goes nicely with a little yoghurt on the side.

Serves 2–4 sharing.

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This recipe is from Mr. Wilkinson’s Simply Dressed Salads by Matt Wilkinson. It’s published by Hardie Grant Books, the RRP is  $49.95, and you can buy it here.

Photography by Jacqui Melville