Serves 2 – 3

Ingredients

  • 500g small new potatoes
  • 200g dwarf French beans, trimmed & cut into 3 – 4 cm lengths (can use other green beans)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly slivered
  • 50g stoned black olives, very roughly chopped
  • A good handful of basil shredded
  • A generous squeeze of lemon juice
  • Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Cut the potatoes into 2 or pieces each. Put them in a saucepan, cover with water, add salt & bring to the boil, then lower the heat. Simmer for about 8 minutes, until tender, adding the beans for the last 2 or 3 minutes. Drain well & return to the hot pan.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small pan over a low heat. Add the garlic & cook very gently for a couple of minutes, without letting it colour. Add the chopped olives & cook for a minute more. Remove from the heat.
  3. Tip the oil, garlic & olives into the pan with the potatoes & beans. Add the basil, a generous squeeze or two of lemon juice & some salt & pepper. Toss together & serve warm.