Runner beans, cherry tomatoes and olives
Runner beans, cherry tomatoes and olives
This dish is a delicious accompaniment to almost any summer main. It's very easy to whip up and has a good balance of crunch, saltiness and freshness. Basil leaves blacken quickly when cut, so only shred them just before serving.
Ingredients
- oil for frying, eg. light olive or sunflower
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 500g runner beans, trimmed and finely sliced
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
- 100g pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
- small handful fresh basil leaves, shredded
Method
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Step 1
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan.
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Step 2
Fry the onion very gently for 10 minutes, stirring now and then to stop it catching, until soft and translucent.
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Step 3
Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
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Step 4
Meanwhile, boil the beans in salted water for 4 minutes.
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Step 5
Drain, refresh in a bowl of cold water, then drain again.
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Step 6
Add the cherry tomatoes, olives and drained beans to the pan.
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Step 7
Season.
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Step 8
Cook for 2 minutes or so, stirring now and then, just until the tomatoes start to wilt.
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Step 9
Add the vinegar, a good glug of olive oil (3-4 tablespoons), the shredded basil and toss together, checking the seasoning before serving.
