A truly versatile often overlooked vegetable.

Young tender beans

These can be frozen without blanching. Lay dry on a parchment lined baking tray, freeze, then bag removing as much air as possible, lable and store. Best eaten within 2 months of freezing but will keep longer.

Older mature beans

Best blanched and skinned as described below. Dry well, freeze and store as above.

Preparation

Remove beans from the pods: 1kg bean pods should yield 300g beans.

Young tender beans are best eaten raw or lightly steamed. Enjoy in salads or with salty meats like cured ham or cheese. Larger beans, the size of a 10p piece and over are better cooked and skinned. Simply boil 3 to 4 minutes in salted water, drain and immediately plunge into cold water to cool and keep colour. Skin by squeezing between the thumb and forefinger, the bean will pop out, discard the outer skin.

Mix warm with a dressing made by mixing lemon juice or a fruit vinegar and olive oil, season with sea salt. Chopped fresh tarragon or mint are delicious in the mix.

Puree 150g cooked skinned beans with 30mls olive oil, juice and zest of 1 lemon, salt and black pepper. Serve on toasted crusty bread or oatcakes.

Prepare as above, mix in a spoon of yoghurt, and a little chilli powder to taste.

Prepare as for toasts but add 1 tablespoon pitted black olives and a clove of garlic to the mixture

Stir into risottos and rice dishes just before serving.

Stir fry in olive oil with onion and garlic till tender, stir in grated hard cheese to taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir into cooked pasta and enjoy hot. For a creamier sauce add a spoon of crème fraiche.

Serves 2

Put the couscous into a bowl and cover with water or stock. Stand a few minutes then use a fork to separate and fluff the grains. Meanwhile heat the oil, toast the garlic and cumin seeds till sizzling. Pour over the fluffed couscous, add broad beans, stir together, season with salt and pepper and serve.

not so much a recipe as an ideal way to make new young vegetables into a meal.

Blanch tougher vegetables such as carrots, broad beans and green beans 5 minutes in salted boiling water. Drain, plunge into cold water then drain. Skin broad beans if needed. Heat a slosh of oil in a deep frying pan or wok, toast the garlic then add the fresh a blanched vegetables to stir fry a few minutes. Add 2 tbsps hot water. Cover the pan to steam cook 2 minutes. Season with seas salt and serve.

A great base for a meal., stir in chopped chicken, fish, ham or nuts and serve with rice, noodles or couscous