Summer on a plate! The green beans you can see started out as purple french beans (growing in the tub at the top of the photo), and I’m always disappointed that they turn green when you cook them. What a swizz. Not necessarily a vegetarian salad, you could add grilled chicken or white fish to this easily. Or fling in some pumpkin seeds, or tomatoes. Or cucumbers. Basically anything you feel like. I’ve given quantities for one person, but it’s infinitely scaleable.
Ingredients
Salad:
A large handful of salad leaves
A handful of green beans
A handful of broad beans
1 tbsp (ish) chopped fresh mint
However much feta you feel like eating
However many new potatoes you want to eat
10 or so shavings from a fennel bulb
Dressing (ok this isn’t for one, but it keeps really well):
The juice of a lemon
3 times as much oil as you have lemon juice
Salt & pepper
Method
- Put the potatoes on to boil – they’ll take about 10 minutes.
- Boil/ steam the green beans and broad beans for a few minutes until just tender – then refresh under cold water.
- Rip the salad leaves onto a plate, and use a potato peeler to shave a handful of pieces from the fennel bulb (there’s no need to cook it).
- Push the broad beans out of their tough leathery casings. Yes I know its a faff, but it really is worth the effort. Scatter onto the salad leaves, along with the green beans (rip the big ones in half).
- Make the dressing by putting all the ingredients into a clean jam jar and giving it a good shake.
- Pop your potatoes onto the salad too.
- Spoon over a couple of tablespoons of dressing, and use your hands to gently turn over the salad until it’s all lightly coated in dressing.
- Crumble over the feta and sprinkle with mint.
- Dive in!
From My Kitchen 