GREEN BEANS WITH CREAMY ANCHOVY, CHILLI & LEMON DRESSING & ALMONDS

Serves 6–8

A beautiful little salad that is great as a starter or side. The dressing is really good with any blanched green vegetables — try broccolini, cabbage, Roman beans or asparagus, and it tastes quite nice to swap the almonds for hazelnuts too.

CHILLI & LEMON DRESSING

1 lemon

125 ml (4 fl oz/ ½ cup) extra virgin olive oil

55 g (2 oz) Ortiz or other good-quality anchovy fillets

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

pinch of ground chilli

180 ml (6 fl oz) milk

Peel the lemon with a small knife taking care to remove all of the white pith. Remove any seeds and finely chop the flesh. Place in a small food processor and add the oil, anchovy fillets, garlic and chilli. Process until well combined. With the motor running, gradually add the milk, about 1 tablespoon at a time. If you add the milk too quickly, the dressing may split. When all the milk is incorporated, add about 1 tablespoon of warm water so the dressing is a pouring consistency.

TO SERVE

400 g (14 oz) green beans

2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

40 g (1½ oz/ ¼ cup) almonds, roasted & roughly chopped

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Blanch the beans until tender to the bite. Drain and refresh in iced water. Drain again and trim the beans. Dress with the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place 1 teaspoon of the chilli and lemon dressing in the bases of shallow salad bowls, pile the beans on top, spoon over the remaining dressing and scatter over the almonds.