Recently on a trip to Melbourne I enjoyed a Winter Pot au Feu. This is my spring version. Don't throw out the cooking water as you go, it's essential!

Ingredients

• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2-3 sticks celery, sliced diagonally into 0.5cm slices
• 25 grams butter
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 150 grams beans
• 200 grams whole baby carrots
• 1¼ cups water
• 1½ cups fresh or frozen broad beans
• 2 courgettes, trimmed and sliced
• 6 sun-dried tomato halves, shredded into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons sour ceam

Method

1. Heat the butter and gently cook the onion and celery for 4-5 minutes until soft but not brown. Add the pepper and cook until barely tender.
2. Top and tail the beans, wash and scrub the carrots, leave whole.
3. Blanch beans in 1¼ cups water for 3-4 minutes, drain, reserving the cooking water.
4. Cook carrots in cooking water for 4-5 minutes. Drain and again reserve the cooking water.
5. Cook the broad beans for 2-3 minutes and drain. Peel when cool enough to handle. Boil remaining cooking liquid until reduced to ¾ cup. Reserve.
6. Stir the flour into the onion, celery, pepper mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes until frothy, stirring continuously. Gradually add the wine and reduced stock and cook until the sauce has slightly thickened. Stir continuously.
7. Add sliced courgettes, carrots, green beans, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh chopped oregano, cover and simmer very gently for about 10-12 minutes or until the courgettes are tender.
8. Add sour cream and peeled broad beans, season well with salt and pepper and serve.

Cooks Tips

- I always peel my broad beans, as the centre of the bean is so very different to the tough outer skins. For something different make a salad with these beans (centre parts) tossed in olive oil dressing.