Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time up to 30 minutes
200 g (7 oz) shelled fresh borlotti beans (about 450 g/14½ oz in the pod) or 410 g (14 oz) can borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
200 g (7 oz) cooked peeled prawns, tails left on
grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
50 g (2 oz) wild rocket
salt
Tip the fresh borlotti beans, if using, into a saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by about 5 cm (2 inches) and bring to the boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until tender; drain. If using canned beans, simply rinse under cold running water before using, then heat gently in a saucepan over a medium heat for 3 minutes.
Put the oil, garlic and chilli in a large bowl. Stir in the warm beans and the celery and season with salt. Leave the salad to cool to room temperature. You can then cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Leave the beans to return to room temperature before serving if you have prepared them in advance. Stir in the prawns and lemon rind and juice, then gently toss through with the rocket or scatter on top. Serve at once.
For sardine, pea & borlotti salad, prepare and cool the borlotti beans as above, then toss with the lemon rind and juice, omitting the prawns and rocket. Add 2 x 120 g (3¾ oz) cans sardines in tomato sauce, a 5 cm (2 inch) piece of diced cucumber, 4 chopped spring onions and 100 g (3½ oz) just-cooked frozen peas and gently toss through. Serve on a bed of torn Little Gem lettuce or iceberg lettuce leaves.