1. Chopped up finely and sprinkled over stews just before serving – a light broth of onions, carrots or peppers, celery and a little stock with some tomatoes would be delicious with green beans chopped and added right at the end – young beans need hardly any cooking

2. As a side dish with curries or spicy dishes (as pictured) – you can quickly steam them for a few minutes before serving, or you can just pop them in with the curry quickly at the end to cook them a little

2. As a great base for a salad, steamed or raw (depending on whether they’re old or younger beans!), with chopped tomatoes and onions on top, and a garlicky mustardy dressing.  This is a brilliant salad with grilled or roasted chicken

3. As a garnish for salads – finely chopped and scattered all over lettuce-y, tomato-ey, onion-ey type salads, especially if the beans are young and sweet

4. Poached in Ottolenghi’s poaching liquor of olive oil, white wine and lemon juice – beans are delicious like this, just simmered for 3 minutes or so

5. In soups – great for adding to all veg soup, especially green soups.  If you add fresh green beans and simmer them for just a minute before whizzing to a smooth soup, they keep a brilliant green colour and add a freshness which is delicious with mint or other herbs

6. As a side dish with roasts of all descriptions – steamed and on its own is good, but green beans with kale or cavalo nero and a little dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar and mustard are absolutely delicious.  Either that or a little sauce made from meat juice, a dash of white wine (reduced) and some lemon juice

7. In a green bean salad with other green beans!  French beans, runner beans, mange tout, peas – they are all really delicious together (raw or poached quickly, or a combination!) with some crushed and toasted hazelnuts, some sliced orange and some dill or parsley, chopped and sprinkled over the top.  This is particularly good with a big squeeze of lemon and orange juice, some rape seed oil and lots of black pepper