Minty green beans

Mr M loves to eat beans and peas straight from the plant. So much so that none, including those above, have made it to the kitchen. I'm not so keen - I like mine briefly cooked to bring out the sweetness, but they still need to have crunch.

Sugar snaps, freshly podded peas and french beans are the green of choice at the moment.

One lunch in Budleigh Salterton last week had the most divine minted green bean salad on the side, so we decided to try and make it for supper on Tuesday to accompany some very tasty roast chicken.
Heat up a good glug of light olive oil (2 tbsp-ish) over a low heat and gently saute thinly sliced garlic cloves (2) and spring onion (2). Set aside to cool when done. In a large pan, bring an inch or two of water to the boil. Add sugar snaps, green beans and peas (2 big handfuls of each) and boil briefly until they turn that brilliant lawn green colour. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Add a small glug of balsamic vinegar to the garlic oil, some finely chopped fresh mint (1/2 tbsp) and season to taste. Toss the beans in the dressing and serve.
The quantities above should serve 4 happily. We ate the remainder the following night and they were still nice and crunchy. I had mine as an omelette by heating them up, adding the eggs and a strip of parma ham. Yum, yum, yum.