Beans and a casserole.

When the beans start to come in I have to be ready because there is no let up. This is todays pickings, runners, borlotti, french and navy beans. They are now prepared, blanched and tucked up in the freezer, well some of them anyway. The borlotti went into a beef and bean casserole.

I have been buying my meat from a local butcher and the quality is superb. He knows so much and is so generous with his knowledge. It will a sad day when we can't ask the butcher for his advice and have a little bit of a chat.

I like my beef marbled through with fat. I think it has more flavour and cooks better but that is only my opinion.

I've never grown borlotti beans before and was a little nervous at cooking them fresh. The pods are so pretty with their pink and white stripes, the beans are supposed to be pink and white as well but mine all seemed pale green. I'm going to leave most on the vines to dry so I can store them for winter use. Another new experience, drying pulse.

Soft rolls with polenta topping, I did make a dozen but they didn't last very long. The dough made in the bread maker and then knocked back, shaped, left to rise for 1/2 hour and then popped in the oven for 10 minutes.

I missed taking a photo of the finished casserole, it didn't last long enough. I did manage to save enough for lunch tomorrow. The beans added a lovely nutty flavour, cooked until soft but not mushy. Much better than the dried variety.