Koukia Lathera - Greek Broad Beans With Feta

Broad beans or fava beans are in season now and one of the tastiest ways to cook them is in this Greek Koukia Lathera stew! This is broad beans in a tomato stew with herbs and topped with crumbled feta. This side dish will go with pretty much any and every meat dish and also goes well with pasta or rice!

Koukia is the name for broad or fava beans. Louthera means oil based cooking and is simple, home style or peasant style cooking. Broad beans or fava beans are a spring favourite. They are also a bit of work as they need to be double podded. Firstly you need to remove them from the long pod and then they have a tough, slightly darker green outer layer that needs to be removed after a brief cooking. You can also use frozen broad beans too.

How to de-pod broad beans:

1 - Remove beans from the long sleeve pod

2 - Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes

3 - Drain and run under cold water

4 - Slip them out of the thin outer layer - I nick the end of the skin with my fingernail and squeeze it out

Dishes that these Greek broad beans goes well with: Beef Stifado and the dill orzo with it especially (I loved this and the orzo by themselves), French roast chicken with fennel and lemon, Pork Braised in Milk, Pork Rib Cactus Stew or Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs With Porcini & Chestnuts. Basically it suits any rich meat dish!

I'm becoming more interested in Cypriot and Greek dishes because of my friend Valentina. She is an amazing cook and is happy to show me her favourite Cypriot dishes. Last weekend she showed me three new Cypriot recipes which I will share with you!

This year, actually tomorrow, we are co-hosting our Halloween party. I have my party a bit earlier that Halloween on the 31st so that I can share the recipes with you Dear Reader. The only thing is that there is inclement weather predicted. And by that I mean thunderstorms - EEK!

We are having it at her house so we can always go indoors but I wanted to have it all outdoors because of COVID-19. So please wish us luck for the party tomorrow and send all good weather vibes our way!

So tell me Dear Reader, do you cook many Cypriot Greek dishes? Are there any you want to learn how to make?

Greek Broad Beans With Feta Koukia Lathera

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

• 200g/7ozs. double podded broad beans
• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 125ml/4flozs. water
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 50g/1.7ozs feta cheese, crumbled (or vegan feta)
• Black pepper to season

Step 1 - Add some oil to a saucepan or frying pan and saute the onion for 1-2 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add the broad beans, tomato paste and water and place the lid on and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and add oregano.

Step 2 - Place in a serving bowl, drizzle some extra oil on top and sprinkle with crumbled feta and black pepper (you shouldn't need much salt if at all because of the feta).