GREEN GIGANTES: CARAMELISED ONION, LEEK AND COURGETTE BUTTER BEANS

This simple dish is a riff on the much-loved gigantes, an iconic Greek meal featuring giant butter beans. I love the tomatoey original, but this green version is as delicious. It feels light rather than rich and hearty, though it is substantial enough to be a standalone meal, perhaps with bread and pickles on the side. It is also much better when made in advance; I recommend that you double the recipe and eat it over a few days.

SERVES 4

H 2 onions

H 2 garlic cloves

H 2 leeks

H 2 courgettes

H 6 tbsp olive oil

H a few sprigs of fresh thyme

H sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

H 1 tsp caster sugar

H 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika

H 2 × 400g tins of butter beans

1 Preheat your oven to 210C/ 190C fan/gas 6½. Peel and finely slice the onions and then the garlic. Trim and finely slice the leeks and courgettes – I like to slice my courgettes into half moons. Give the leeks a really good rinse. Put a flameproof casserole on a medium-low heat and add the olive oil and all the sliced vegetables. Add the thyme sprigs, season generously, stir in the caster sugar and cook for 30 minutes, until softened and golden. Stir everything occasionally, and if the mixture starts to catch on the bottom add a splash of water. Stir in the paprika for the final 10 minutes of cooking.

2 When the vegetables are golden, stir in the beans, plus the liquid from the tins, and top with an extra 200ml of water. Bring to the boil, then put the uncovered casserole in the oven for about an hour (if you are doubling the recipe, cook for an extra 30 minutes). Check the beans a few times during cooking to make sure they aren’t drying out – if they are, add a splash more water. The result should be golden and a little crisped on top with oozy beans underneath. I like to leave this to cool for a while before serving.