Runner beans in a red wine tomato sauce

The beans for this week are a real summer time treat. Had plenty, and some tomatoes and basil from the garden too as well as most of a bottle of the most vile red wine it has ever been my misfortune to drink. It was actually fizzy - can't have been corked as it came with a screw cap - but seriously can't believe anyone could drink it. Would normally have emptied the lot down the sink but this recipe was in my mind so thought I'd keep a little back. I know the general rule is don't cook with wine you wouldn't drink but I suspect that advice is tied to the pleasure of having a little something nice to sip on whilst you rustle up dinner and the better it is the greater the pleasure. Actually I have to say that though it worked well when just cooked, the sourness of this nasty wine came through next day when I had them cold for lunch. Back to drinkable wine only for cooking. Yay!

Runner beans in red wine tomato sauce

25g butter

1 tbspn olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

150g mushrooms, thickly sliced

250g tomatoes, roughly chopped

350g runner beans, topped and tailed and sliced on an angle into 2cm pieces

100ml red wine

2 tbspns roughly chopped basil leaves

salt & pepper

Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and garlic over a low heat until just soft, about 20 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the wine and tomatoes with any juice, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the liquid is reduced and you have a chunky sauce.

Stir the beans into the sauce, cover tightly and cook for 10-15 minutes until the beans are tender but not soft.

Stir in the basil and season.

We had this warm with grilled pork chops and some crusty bread and it was great. It would work equally well cold or I think too it would be a good pasta sauce with some penne as it is rich and soft and well textured.