White beans with half the garden's greens

White beans with half the garden's greens

Spring and Summer

There's a point in spring when the garden starts to feel really productive, and that time is a very good time! This is the sort of dish that makes the most of that moment, soft leeks and beans, plenty of seasonal greens, a good squeeze of lemon and lots of good olive oil. I'm using spinach, sorrel and nettles in this version, but you could use whatever you have to hand. Young kale leaves, rainbow chard, broad bean tops, beetroot tops, they can all be used in this recipe. You can also mix up the herbs, here I'm scattering in chervil, chives and parsley, but any fresh herbs will work well.

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 leeks, trimmed, rinsed, halved lengthways and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to finish
  • 1 jar cooked white beans, such as haricot or cannellini, drained
  • Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
  • 4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped
  • A few handfuls of mixed greens, such as spinach, chard, kale, sorrel or nettles, washed, any tough stalks removed and roughly chopped
  • Small bunch of chervil, leaves picked
  • Small bunch of chives, finely chopped
  • Small bunch of parsley, leaves picked and roughly chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put a large pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, leeks and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook gently for 5 to 6 minutes until soft, sweet and just starting to collapse.

Grate in the lemon zest and cook for a minute or so more, allowing the lovely lemony oil to come to life. Stir in the beans and thyme leaves and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every so often. If it looks a little dry, add a splash of water.

Add the greens, put a lid on the pan and let them wilt down for a few minutes. Give everything a stir so the greens soften evenly.

Once tender, remove from the heat and fold through the chervil, chives and parsley. Add the lemon juice, a good drizzle of olive oil and plenty of black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve warm, with a little more olive oil and an extra squeeze of lemon over the top.

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