How to make harissa lamb cutlets with garlic and almond runner beans

It's green bean season in gardens across Britain, and runner beans are one of the favourites of our kitchen garden cook, Melanie Johnson.

'Runner beans are a bold and hearty summer green,' says Melanie. 'They're especially good when home grown.'

You can make a simple runner-bean salad by blanching runner beans in boiling water for a few minutes, refreshing them in iced water and tossing with pesto, toasted pine nuts, chilli flakes and some seasoning, all topped off with Parmesan shavings.

For a weekend lunch, though, the recipe below brings together a wonderful mix of flavours to complement your runners.

Recipe: Harissa lamb cutlets with garlic-and-almond beans

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 75g Greek yoghurt
• 2tbspn harissa (or other chilli paste)
• 8 lamb cutlets
• 300g runner beans
• 2tbspn olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• ½ lemon, squeezed
• 50g flaked almonds, lightly toasted
• 100g couscous
• 150ml chicken stock
• 200g tzatziki
• Pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander, to serve

Method

Mix together the Greek yoghurt, harissa and some seasoning in a medium-sized bowl. Add the lamb cutlets, mix so they’re entirely covered, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to 24 hours

Prepare the beans by blanching in boiling water until cooked, but retaining a bite—a few minutes only—and then drain. Over a medium heat, add the beans back to the pan, together with the olive oil, grated garlic and lemon juice. Heat for a few minutes and finally add the flaked almonds to the beans. Toss to mix them through.

Make the couscous by simply adding it to a bowl and then pouring over the chicken stock. Cover and leave to sit for a few minutes, until the liquid is absorbed, and then fluff up with a fork.

Remove the cutlets from their marinade and grill them for a few minutes each side (or you could put them on a barbecue).

To serve, spread the tzatziki thinly on a serving plate and then spoon over the couscous, followed by the beans and their pan juices, then arrange the cutlets among them. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander and serve.

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Served with lemon and rosemary leg of lamb or blended into hazelnut pesto, just two of our runner bean recipes

Credit: Melanie Johnson

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