The beans are in good supply and this is my favourite way of serving Blue Lake beans. It is a much simpler recipe than Yotam Ottolenghi’s great bean dish that I give a version of in The Allotment Kitchen. No surprise there!.

500g Blue Lake beans

500g ripe tomatoes (preferably plum tomatoes)

1 clove garlic, crushed

Olive oil

A few young lovage leaves (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Start by preparing the tomatoes. Take off the tops and place the tomatoes face down in a large frying pan with a little olive oil. Cook slowly with the lid on until the tomatoes start to wrinkle and the juices run. Take off the lid and continue to cook gently. With a fork, squash down the tomatoes and lift off their skins (it won’t matter if some bits remain).

Top and tail the beans and cook them in salted boiling water for about five minutes. Strain, add to the tomato sauce together with the garlic and chopped lovage leaves, if using. Season. Let everything cook a few minutes more until the beans are tender.

Serve hot.