young, green soya beans, and are high in protein and other nutrients. Some crisp lettuce leaves, and maybe a salad of summer tomatoes and basil (such as the Mixed Heirloom Tomato Salad), would go really well with this.
Serves 4
200g (7oz) bulgur wheat
400ml (14fl oz) water
100g (3½oz) frozen podded edamame beans, thawed
100g (3½oz) frozen petits pois, thawed
200g (7oz) sugar snap peas, trimmed
150g (5oz) frozen broad beans
6 spring onions, chopped
4 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
For the minted yoghurt dressing
300ml (11fl oz) plain yoghurt
2 tbsp chopped mint
1. Put the bulgur wheat into a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil, put the thawed edamame beans and peas on top, then take off the heat and leave to stand, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the bulgur wheat is fluffy and tender.
2. Meanwhile, cook the sugar snap peas in boiling water until tender, about 3 minutes; remove them with a slotted spoon into a colander (don’t throw away the water) and refresh under cold water; set aside.
3. Bring the water in the pan back to the boil and add the broad beans. Cook for 2 minutes; drain, and cool quickly under cold water. I like to pop off their skins with my fingers, to reveal the brilliant green inner beans, but this isn’t essential: by all means leave them on, if you prefer.
4. When the wheat is ready, give it a stir with a fork to fluff it and mix in the edamame beans and peas, then add the sugar snap peas, broad beans, chopped spring onions, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. Make the dressing by mixing the yoghurt with the chopped mint, and seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Serve with the bulgur wheat salad, in a small jug or bowl.
Make it vegan: Use plain unsweetened soya yoghurt for the dressing.
Baby Green Bean and Butter Bean Salad with Garlic Croutes
I love the combination of fresh green beans in the pod and cooked dried beans; they are at the same time refreshing and sustaining. This salad is lovely made in the summer with flavourful tomatoes, olives and fresh herbs.
Serves 2–4
Vegan
250g (9oz) thin French beans, trimmed as much as you wish (see tip)
400g tin butter beans, drained
250g (9oz) tomatoes, plum if available, sliced
Few sprigs of basil, torn
Handful of black olives
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
For the garlic croutes
1 garlic clove
2–4 slices of baguette or wholemeal bread
Olive oil
For the mustard dressing
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine or cider vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
1. Cook the beans in boiling water to cover for 4–6 minutes, or until tender but still crunchy. Drain in a colander and cool under the cold tap. Drain again.
2. Put the cooked beans into a bowl and add the butter beans, tomatoes, basil, and olives. Season with salt and a little pepper.
3. Make the garlic croutes: cut the garlic in half and rub the cut surfaces over one side of the slices of bread, then brush the bread lightly on both sides with olive oil. Grill the bread on both sides until lightly browned and crisp.
4. While the bread is grilling, make the dressing: put the mustard, vinegar and a little salt into a bowl and mix with a fork or small whisk, then gradually whisk in the oil. Season.
5. Add half the dressing to the salad and toss so that it’s all glossy, then heap it on to plates or a serving dish and drizzle the rest of the dressing over and around, and grind some more pepper coarsely over. Serve with the garlic croutes.
Tip: I’ve got more and more relaxed about how much I trim beans. I used to cut off both the top and the curly ‘tail’; then I just trimmed the top, now I prefer not to trim them at all: I think they look much prettier in their natural state, and of course it’s less work for the cook! But others disagree … so the choice is yours.
This is half salad, half hot dish, a variation of Mexican refried beans, with a hot, chilli-bean mixture served on a base of salad, garnished with slices of avocado, soured cream, chives and coriander. You could also add a handful of olives, and some tortilla chips for an extra crunch. It’s a great one-dish meal to make when you want something quick, hot and tasty, and it’s very colourful.
Serves 2
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green chilli, deseeded and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin red kidney beans, drained
1 small lettuce
1 small red pepper, deseeded and sliced
4 tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
150ml (5fl oz) plain yoghurt or soured cream
Salt and black pepper
A few fresh coriander leaves, to serve (optional)
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, then add the onion,
