Runner beans, leeks, cream and celery seeds

Summer

I’m standing between two walls of green, picking runner beans. Hoping I can stay here, secretly, holidaying in this living screen. For every bee I hear, I’ll eat a bean, but I can’t hear them and there are red flowers everywhere.

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g (1lb 2oz) runner beans
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced into 1–2cm (½–¾in) rounds
1 knob of unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 shallot, chopped
½ glass of white wine
180ml (5¾fl oz) double cream
1 tsp celery seeds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Use a peeler to remove the stringy edges from the runner beans then slice them at an angle nice and thinly.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add the beans and leeks. Return the water to the simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until
the vegetables are tender. Drain and allow the vegetables to steam off in the colander.

Meanwhile, return the pan to a medium heat and add the butter. When it’s melted and bubbling, add the garlic and shallot and fry gently for about 4–6 minutes, until it’s all beginning to soften. Add the wine and turn up the heat. When it’s boiling, add the cream, celery seeds and plenty of salt and pepper.

Stir the leeks and beans into the sauce and serve, either from the pan or from a nice, warm serving dish.

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