Ingredients:

(serves 4)

A large sprig of thyme

2 medium spring onions, trimmed and very finely chopped

100g unsalted butter at room temperature

Fine ground sea salt (ideally French fleur de sel)

Freshly ground white pepper

150g fine green French beans, stringed and left whole

150g yellow wax beans, stringed and left whole

2 cloves fresh spring garlic, peeled and very finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Method:

1.  To make spring onion butter, combine the chopped onions, with butter, thyme, sea salt and ground white pepper. The butter will be flecked with an attractive emerald green colour. Refrigerate for around 30 minutes until firm.

2. . Steam the green and yellow beans in separate compartments of a steamer for about 7 minutes until they are tender but still retain some bite. Drain thoroughly.

3. In a frying pan, add the cooked green and yellow beans and combine with the 2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid, garlic, and salt and pepper. Cook over gentle heat for a minute, stirring from time to time.  Keep the bean mixture on very low heat.

4. Set aside a cube of spring onion butter (about a tablespoon), and add the remaining butter to the pan of beans about 2 tablespoons at a time, heating just until the butter is absorbed. The beans will take on a shiny gloss. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

5. Transfer the beans to a serving dish, and place the cube of butter that you have set aside on the top. Toss before serving.

Note: This dish tastes lovely as it is, but you can liven it up by adding a splash of lemon juice and finely grated lemon zest and/ or some Dijon mustard to either the beans or the butter. Another variation to the spring onion butter is butter flavoured with chives and chive flowers. Any leftovers can be eaten as a salad, and would be ideal for picnics.