MY BIG GREEN SALAD

My sister and her boyfriend came round for supper last week - this can cause some what of a dilemma as our taste in food couldn't be more diverse. Firstly Eddie doesn't eat cheese…..I know…..this is completely foreign to me and I really don't get it. Plus my sister is a vegetarian, she used to still eat a bit of sausage and salami (!) as well but now she sticks just to fish and she likes things as plain as possible (the opposite to me). 

So considering Pascal is a complete carnivore and I am a cheese freak we had a mental block at what to cook. In the end we decided on a barbecue with a cheeseburger and sausages for Pascal and I, a burger and sausages for Eddie and then a tuna steak for Kirsty. As for sides, my blue cheese coleslaw would go down like battery acid so we did a roasted vegetable quinoa salad (will post the recipe this week) and a big green salad from Fay Ripley's second book.

Ingredients for 4-6 people:

200g runner beans, trimmed (I just use whatever beans they have in the supermarket)
350g frozen petit pois
1 courgette, trimmed
200g baby spinach
30g fresh mint leaves, chopped

For the dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard (I put wholegrain in the picture by mistake)!

Boil the kettle or a saucepan of water. Once it is boiling, throw in the runner beans and simmer for 3-4 minutes. 

Then add the peas for a final minute.

Drain and rinse under cold running water.

Put the spinach in a large serving bowl.

Add the chopped mint.

Using a potato peeler, slice very thin strips of courgette length ways.

Then throw in the peas and beans.

Mix all the dressing ingredients together with a fork.

Season and then mix all together.

It couldn't be more simple! This goes with absolutely everything - a barbecue, a roast, fish, pasta bake…the list is endless. Once you have made this, you will make it repeatedly, it is so easy and delicious and tastes great the next day too. I would also be tempted to add some avocado too.