Purée of Broad Beans

Place the beans in a steamer sprinkled with salt, or else in lightly salted water, and cook for 4-6 minutes or until tender.

Then drain them well and transfer them to the goblet of a liquidiser or food processor together with the butter, cream, some freshly grated nutmeg and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Whizz them to a purée, taste to check the seasoning, then serve with a few snipped chives sprinkled over.