beans!

I went to visit my garden today. It's in an allotment area a few kms from my house.

bees <3 borage

Everything is growing a bit slow this summer. We're in a drought, and the first part of the summer was rainy but very cold, so the plants didn't exactly get a head start. Everything is a bit smaller than normally, but still pretty!

summer squash

borlotti

italian beans

I did manage to get quite a lot of beans today and a few small squash.

harvest!

 After all the chores I spent about ten minutes eating red currants off the bush. They're the tastiest!

When I got home I realised the borlotti beans I picked are not at all ripe! They're supposed to be white and red. But I just cut them up like the other beans and used them to make this tasty salad.

The recipe is adapted from this one, I also want to try it with proper borlotti!

Bean and tuna salad with parsley

Ingredients:
mixed green beans (enough for two people or however many will eat)
1 tin really good tuna in oil
a big handful of flat parsley, chopped
½ onion, finely sliced or chopped
2 tablespoons capers
1-2 tiny summer squash, or one slightly bigger one, sliced
1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice
a slosh of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
     
Slice the beans in two or three pieces and boil them for two minutes. Dump them in cold water right away to stop the cooking. Drain when cool.

In a bowl mix the tuna, onion, parsley, capers and squash. They're so lovely when they're tiny! So tasty! Add the beans, a big splash of oil, the vinegar, and salt and pepper. Mix well.

This makes a good filling meal together with some bread.