Borlotti and Runner Beans with Sage, Tomatoes and Garlic

This is a most delicious vegetarian stew. My Mum gave me lots of runner beans from her garden and I have been slowly using them up. It also used tomatoes, onion and garlic from my garden too. Yum!

2 tins borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp oil
2 onions, sliced
3 garlic cloves
pinch chilli flakes
small bunch sage leaves, half roughly chopped
600g vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
pinch sugar
400g runner beans, strings removed, sliced diagonally
200-300ml vegetable stock
small bunch oregano leaves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp creme fraiche

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onions gently for 10 mins or until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic, chilli flakes and whole sage leaves, then cook for a few mins more. Add the tomatoes, taste, then add the sugar if needed. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 5-10 mins, stirring, until reduced.

Add the borlotti and runner beans with 200ml stock and bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for another 8-10 mins until the borlotti beans are just beginning to fall apart and the runner beans are tender. You may need to add a little more stock – the stew should be saucy but not soupy.

Stir through most of the chopped sage and oregano, then stir in the creme fraiche. To serve, drizzle with olive  oil, scatter over the remaining herbs, then spoon into bowls. Serve with a chunk of crusty bread.