This is an unapologetic reworking of the southern French classic, pairing the last of the summer green beans and courgettes with a handful of store cupboard staples. Though it lacks the tomatoes, eggs and olives of the original, it shares many of its other bright flavours. The white beans and potatoes give it a bit of heft, but it still feels decidedly like a warm weather recipe, so I offer it in the hope that September will bring a few more days of sunshine before autumn begins in earnest.
Serves 4
8 small waxy potatoes, halved or quartered if large
200g green beans, tops trimmed, halved
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
Zest and juice of 1½ lemons
2 small cloves garlic, crushed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp small capers, drained
12 anchovy fillets in oil, drained, torn into pieces
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes and pepper
2 x 400g tins butter beans (or other white beans), drained and rinsed
1 medium courgette, sliced into wafer thin rounds
4 handfuls mint leaves, torn
2-3 handfuls rocket leaves
220g jar sustainably caught albacore or yellowfin tuna in olive oil, drained
Method
Bring a saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook until easily pierced to the centre with a knife. Add the green beans for the final 4 minutes. Drain and run both under the cold tap to stop them cooking. Put to one side to cool completely.
Put the mustard in a mixing bowl. Stir in the vinegar, lemon juice and zest. Add the garlic, onion and most of the capers, plus 1 tsp salt flakes and a good grind of black pepper. Finally, stir in 3 tbsp of the olive oil.
Add the white and green beans and the potatoes, then gently fold through the mint leaves, courgette, rocket and tuna. Check the seasoning and pile onto plates. Scatter with a few more capers, a grind of pepper and a final trickle of olive oil before serving.
Lucas Hollweg is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author and cook. A former Sunday Times journalist and cookery columnist, he writes for a wide range of food publications. His most recent book is Good Things to Eat.
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