BBQ
Griddled flat beans with burnt lemon tahini dressing
Flat beans seldom are the star of the show; this is a travesty as the natural sweetness and crunchy texture are delicious especially when they are young and fresh. This dish brings them centreplate, by griddling them for a slightly charred taste, and pairing with a sweet, creamy tahini dressing.
Cook's notes
This dressing is so good that you might want to make extra for other dishes. It can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Ingredients
for the griddled beans
- 300g flat beans
- olive oil
for the tahini dressing:
- 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp tahini
- ½ tbsp honey
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
Method
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Step 1
De-string the beans. This can be done by snapping the ends and peeing away with your fingers, or by running a peeler along the edge of each side. Cut into lengths so that they easily fit into your griddle pan. Place in a bowl, season and lightly coat with olive oil.
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Step 2
Put your griddle pan on a high heat and allow it to get scorching hot. Carefully place your beans into the pan, but don’t overcrowd the pan - cook them in batches if necessary.
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Step 3
Turn occasionally until they have nice dark scorch marks on both sides.
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Step 4
To make the dressing, cut the lemon in half and add to the griddle pan and leave until the cut edge has blackened and scorched.
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Step 5
In a small bowl, combine the tahini, honey and garlic, then slowly add a little water, mixing as you go, until the consistency loosens. Squeeze in the burnt lemon juice and season to taste.
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Step 6
Toss the beans with the dressing until thoroughly coated and serve straight away. If you like, garnish with preserved lemon or raisins and pine nuts.