Beans and Herbs



	Recipes for green Beans (immature pods)


	CRISP GREEN STIR FRY 1 tablespoon oil 450g or 1 lb spring green cabbage, finely shredded 110g or 4oz peas 50g or 2oz bean sprouts 2 tsp sugar 2 tsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp soya sauce a little sesame oil (optional) Prepare the vegetables. Then heat the oil in a wok or large skillet and when it is very hot add the cabbage, peas and bean sprouts and stir very fast for 3 minutes. Mix together the sugar, vinegar and soy sauce and pour this over the vegetables. Cook on a high heat for a further minute. Then sprinkle with a little sesame oil and serve immediately. Serves 3 to 4.


	DELICIOUS CASHEW NUT SAUCE FOR GREEN BEANS (Mr. B.S.Moffatt of Tyne and Wear donated this amazing recipe. He has called it “Top of the Pole Bean Sauce”. Mr. Moffatt grew our climbing French bean called ‘Top o’ the Pole’. He was delighted with how prolific this bean is, had lots of beans to give to friends and neighbours. He harvested many beans at the green stage, at the fresh shelled out stage, and again at the dried stage for winter casseroles.) Take a good handful of salted cashew nuts. Place them in a mug and well cover with water. Microwave for 2 minutes. Leave for an hour or two. Then microwave for another 2 minutes. Pour into a power blender and give it a good whizz. This leaves you with a watery sauce. Set this aside. Now cook your fresh green beans in water for nine minutes. Strain and add a few of these into the sauce in the blender. Whizz for a short while and you now have a delicious creamy sauce to pour over the rest of your cooked beans. This provides you with a truly gourmet meal.


	FRENCH BEAN NICOISE 450g or 1lb green French beans 4 tomatoes 10 green olives ½ clove garlic, crushed 5 tablespoons Vinaigrette dressing 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped Top and tail the French beans and cut them into large pieces. Cook them in boiling salted water for 8-15 minutes until just tender. Drain and leave to cool. Quarter the tomatoes. Mix the beans, olives, tomatoes and garlic together in a bowl, add the dressing and let the salad stand for a short time. Serve topped with the chopped eggs. Serves 4.

	LEMON GREEN BEANS 11/2 lb green beans, cut in 11/2 in lengths. Boiling salted water 3 tablspoons butter or margarine melted ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper 1 tablespoon minced parsley 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice Cook beans uncovered in boiling salted water until tender-crisp. Drain and place in serving dish. Mix together butter, salt, pepper, parsley, and lemon juice. Pour over beans. Serve hot. Makes about 6 servings.

	RUNNER BEANS WITH GARLIC 225g or 8oz flageolet beans 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 onion, finely chopped 1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed Three or four tomatoes, peeled and chopped 350g or 12 oz runner beans, prepared and sliced 150ml or ¼ pint white wine 150ml or ¼ pint vegetable stock 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley salt and freshly ground black pepper Place the flageolet beans in a large saucepan of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for ¾ to 1 hour, or until tender. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan and saute the onion and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. Add the chopped tomatoes to the onion in the pan and continue cooking over a gentle heat, until they are soft. Stir the flageolet beans into the onion and tomato mixture, then add the runner beans, wine, stock and a little salt. Stir. Cover and simmer for 5 –10 minutes. Increase the heat to reduce the liquid, then stir in the parsley, more salt if necessary, and pepper. Serves 4.


	SPRING VEGETABLE STIR FRY 1 tablespoon sunflower oil 1 garlic clove, sliced 2.5cm or 1in piece of fresh root ginger, finely chopped 115g or 4oz baby carrots, 115g or 4oz summer squash 115g or 4oz baby sweetcorn 115g or 4oz French beans, topped and tailed 115g or 4oz sugar snap peas, topped and tailed 115g or 4oz young asparagus, cut into 7.5cm or 3in pieces 8 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 5cm or 2in pieces 115g or 4oz cherry tomatoes For the dressing juice of two limes 1 tablespoon runny honey 1 tablespoon soya sauce 1 tsp sesame oil Heat the sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the garlic and root ginger and stir-fry over high heat for 1 minute. Add the carrots, squash, baby sweetcorn and beans and stir-fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar snap peas, asparagus, spring onions and cherry tomatoes and stir-fry for a further 1 to 2 minutes. Mix the dressing ingredients together and add to the pan. Stir well and then cover the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the vegetables are just tender but still crisp. Serves 4.


	THREE BEAN SALAD 100g or 4oz green French beans 1 large onion 100g or 4oz cooked kidney beans 100g or 4oz cooked chickpeas 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped 6 tablespoons French Dressing ¼ leek or 1 small green pepper salt and pepper Top and tail the French beans and cut them into 3cm / 1in pieces. Cook them in a little boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes, until just tender, drain and leave to cool. Slice the onion. Mix the French beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, onion and the garlic together in a bowl, pour the French dressing over the mixture and toss well. Leave the salad in a cool place to marinate for at least a few hours, preferably 1-2 days, so that the beans can absorb all the flavours. Just before serving, finely shred the leek or green pepper, removing the seeds from the pepper. Season the salad with salt and pepper and sprinkle the shredded leek or pepper over the top. Serves 4.