Baked parcels of feta, broad beans, new potatoes and mint

Summer

I know there’ll be a few people who’ll look at this recipe and think ‘Why bother?’ and, in some ways, I can see it from their perspective. But, actually, they’d be missing the point. Cooking outside is about more than cooking. If all I wanted to do was cook, I’d do it inside. If I just wanted to eat, I’d order in. This recipe is about engaging in a creative process. It’s fun, but it’s also mindful and rewarding, in the same way painting or pottery can be. I like to use big leaves to wrap everything up, because it feels good and looks pretty, and they’re edible – you could use kitchen foil, it just doesn’t taste so nice.

Serves 2

Ingredients

400g (14oz) new potatoes, scrubbed
a bowlful of broad (fava) beans or fresh peas, podded (or use frozen)
2 large cabbage, kale or broccoli leaves, for wrapping (or use foil)
150g (5½oz) feta
juice of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
a large handful of mint, leaves picked and cut into thin ribbons
4–5 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place the new potatoes in a pan of salted water over a hot fire. Bring to a boil and cook until they are just tender (about 10–15 minutes). Drain the potatoes and, when they’re cool enough to handle, slice them into 5mm (⅕ in) rounds.

Pod the broad (fava) beans or peas into a bowl, if necessary. If the broad beans are larger, older beans, you might need to blanch and skin them, but I hope that’s not the case.

Place 2 large cabbage, kale or broccoli leaves down on a board or two 25–30cm (10–12in) square sheets of foil. Make a pile of potatoes in the centre of each leaf or sheet. Scatter over the broad beans or peas and break up the feta over the veg.

Squeeze over the lemon juice and trickle over the extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle over the mint and thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Wrap up the filling in the leaves or foil. If you’re using leaves, soak some kitchen string in water, so it doesn’t burn so easily, then use it to tie the leaves into parcels.

Place a grill over a medium–hot fire and set the parcels down on it. If the fire’s too fierce or the grill’s too close to the embers, you’ll burn the leaves and the string will part, so be careful. (If you’re using foil it’s not a problem.)

Cook the parcels for 5–6 minutes on each side, then carefully remove them and set them down on a board. Open the parcels and eat at once.

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