green beans stewed with yellow tomatoes

fagiolini e pomodori gialli in umido

In late July the purple, yellow and fine green beans are at their best. Beans picked and cooked the same day cook and taste far superior to the Kenyan green beans that are available the whole year through. This recipe combines fresh green beans with ripe yellow tomatoes such as Margold. This variety of tomato reduces to a sauce very quickly, retaining its fresh taste. Purple basil looks and tastes good in this recipe.

for 6

1 kg ripe yellow tomatoes

1.5 kg green beans, tailed

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 small dried red chillies, crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves

extra virgin olive oil

Prick the tomatoes with the pointed end of a knife and blanch for a count of ten in boiling water. Remove and cover with cold water. When cool, peel off the skin, remove the hard core and seeds, and roughly chop the flesh. Blanch the beans in boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until soft, not crunchy. Chop the garlic and thyme leaves together.

Heat the olive oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan and add the garlic, thyme and chilli. Cook for a minute until soft then add the tomato pieces and 1 teaspoon salt. Keeping the heat high, cook to reduce the tomato to a thick sauce, which should take about 10 minutes. Add the beans, stir to combine and season with black pepper. Add the basil leaves and serve drizzled with extra virgin oil.