What to grow now LATE-SUMMER

PEAS & BEANS

(Mangetout, runner & French beans)

Why you should grow them Beans (particularly French) are ornamental crops, with the tall climbing varieties prettily covering archways or trellises. There are tall and short peas and beans suitable for any growing space, and they’re useful in crop-rotation schemes. Pea and bean crops are great for storing, as they freeze well while French bean seeds (the beans rather than the pods) can be dried and used, rehydrated, over winter. They retain many of their wide range of health benefits after storage, too.

When to sow

Sow this month or next, either straight into the soil or small pots in a well-lit spot under cover. French and runner beans need 12C to germinate, while peas only need 5C. A cool, damp summer suits peas, while French and runner beans thrive in warmth, although they also need plenty of water.

When to harvest

Picking all of these crops young is key to flavour. Eat the whole pod unless you’re growing French beans to shell as flageolets or store as haricot beans. Be vigilant with harvesting, both to get the pods at their tender best, and to keep the plants productive. These are annual plants, so they die after flowering and fruiting (making pods), but frequent picking keeps them young. Peas can be eaten raw, while beans should be cooked.

Varieties you won’t ind in the greengrocers

‘Shiraz’ peas have attractive bi-coloured flowers followed by beautiful purple mangetout pods. Serve them raw to show oˆ the colour as it changes to green during cooking. ‘Liberty’ runner bean produces beans up to 50cm long, and French bean seeds come in a wide range of pod colours: green with red flecks, yellow, purple, burgundy and green.

Other bene its

Peas and beans are rich in fibre and protein, and have a low glycaemic index. Peas contain high levels of vitamins B and C, plus magnesium. Green beans are rich in vitamins E and K.

What to cook Green beans with lemon & parmesan

Having a quick and easy side up your sleeve is always useful, especially when it’s using up homegrown veg. Green beans are incredibly versatile and, when cooked quickly, have a lovely, vibrant colour.

SERVES 4 as a side PREP 10 mins COOK 3 mins EASY V

600g green beans, trimmed 11/2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

½ lemon, zested and juiced 1 small garlic clove, inely grated 10g parmesan (or vegetarian

alternative), inely grated

Steam the beans over a pan of boiling water for 5 mins or cook for 3 mins in a large pan of boiling salted water over a medium heat. Once cooked, plunge into ice-cold water, leave for 2 mins, then drain and leave to dry.

Meanwhile, combine the mustard, vinegar, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and the garlic. Toss the beans and the dressing together in a large bowl. Serve on a platter with the parmesan sprinkled over.

GOOD TO KNOW healthy • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free PER SERVING 139 kcals • fat 10g • saturates 2g • carbs 6g • sugars 4g • ibre 6g • protein 4g • salt 0.3g