Green Beans, New Potatoes and Olives

• 1 pound/ 500g small new potatoes

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 7 ounces/ 200g green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch / 4cm lengths

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly slivered

• 2 ounces/ 60g pitted black olives, very coarsely chopped

• A good handful of basil, shredded

• A generous squeeze of 
lemon juice

Cut the potatoes into 2 or 3 pieces each. Put them in a saucepan, 
cover with water, add salt, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat. Simmer for about 8 minutes, until tender, adding the beans for the 
last 2 or 3 minutes. Drain well and return to the hot pan.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic and cook very gently for a couple of minutes, without letting it color. Add the chopped olives and cook for a minute more. Remove from the heat.

Tip the oil, garlic, and olives into the pan with the potatoes and beans. Add the basil, a generous squeeze or two of lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. Toss together and serve warm.

VARIATION
Potatoes and "deconstructed pesto"
Omit the beans. Heat the garlic in the oil, as above, then toss with the drained potatoes and loads of shredded basil (a good bunch), some lemon juice, and plenty of slivered or finely grated Parmesan, hard goat cheese, or other well-flavored hard cheese.