I was inspired to create this recipe to bring out the gorgeous flavours of butter beans by the bumper crop from my vegetable patch this year. Butter beans are similar to green beans and not to be confused with the equally delicious but quite different broad beans. They have a slightly sweeter flavour and I think their colour is wonderful. Serve them with any grilled meat or fish.
Serves 6 as a side dish
500g butter beans (yellow string beans)
60g butter
60g pine nuts (about 1/3 cup)
1 lemon
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Steam the beans in a steamer over boiling water until just tender. Menwhile, put the butter into a small saucepan over low heat. Let the butter bubble until it is lightly golden, but not burning. Take off the heat and add the pine nuts, swirling them around until they are well coated. Put the beans onto a serving dish and pour over the butter and pine nuts. Use a microplane or fine grater to grate the zest of the lemon over the beans. Squeeze over the juice of 1/2 of the lemon, sprinkle with chives and serve.
Serves 6 as a side.
Simple food 