Runner Beans
There seems to be something very English about Runner Beans - you don’t often come across them when travelling in Europe. In fact they have been growing in South America for over 2,000 years.
They can be a bit coarser in texture than other beans and so need proper preparation and should be eaten as fresh as possible.
Top, tail and string runner beans by carefully sliding the knife into the top of the bean without cutting right through it; if a thick thread comes away, the beans will need to be stringed. The beans can then be sliced horizontally.
Runner Beans and Shallot Butter
A tasty side dish, easy to prepare – great served alongside a good pie!
500g English runner beans
25g butter
1tbsp olive oil
1 banana shallot (or 2 small shallots)
1tsp golden caster sugar
1tbsp white wine vinegar
Top, tail and remove the strings from the runner beans, then cut them diagonally into elongated diamond shapes.
Melt the butter and oil in a frying pan over a low to medium heat. Fry the shallots gently until soft and slightly coloured.
Boil a saucepan of salted water, cook the beans for 3-4 minutes until just tender and drain.
Turn up the heat in the frying pan add the sugar and vinegar to the shallots and cook for a few minutes. Toss the beans and shallots together and serve in a warmed dish
French beans with feta, walnuts and mint
This simple, tasty salad works with runner beans, too.
280g french beans, trimmed
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ small lemon
Small handful of mint leaves, tough stalks removed, and chopped
1 small handful dill, tough stalks removed, half the fronds chopped, the rest reserved to garnish the dish
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g feta
50g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the beans until just tender, about three to six minutes, then drain and refresh in cold water. Dress the beans in the olive oil, lemon juice, mint, some of the dill, salt and pepper. Serve topped with crumbled feta cheese, walnuts and the remaining dill fronds scattered over the top.
