GARDEN TABLE

Raymond Blanc shares recipes inspired by his childhood memories and global travels plus his celebrated restaurants

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POTAGER CASSEROLE Serves 4 Takes 30 minutes

“This vegetarian casserole can be turned into a feast, served with bowls of cheese, creme fraiche, sundried tomatoes and a loaf of good-quality bread. It also features chervil, which I love, although in Britain, it is not a celebrated herb. I urge you to try it, and even grow it – chervil thrives in our climate.

“This recipe is a guide, so please be inspired by the season's produce and replace these ingredients accordingly.”

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion • 1 large garlic clove • 1 small leek • 160g/5 1/2oz new potatoes • 1 large carrot • 1 stick of celery • 60g/2 1/2oz fine green beans • 120g/4 1/2oz frozen broad beans or peas • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 bay leaf • Sea salt and ground white pepper • 700ml/25fl oz boiling water • 4 jarred artichoke hearts • 1 tin (400g) cannellini beans or white haricot beans

To serve (optional)

• 10g chervil

1. Dice the onion, crush the garlic to a purée and quarter the potatoes. Discard the two outer layers of the leek and halve it lengthways, then coarsely chop and wash. Halve the carrot lengthways and coarsely chop. Coarsely chop (around 2cm) the celery and green beans. Place the broad beans (or peas) in a bowl and cover with water straight from a boiled kettle.

2. In a large saucepan or casserole dish over a medium heat, heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic and bay leaf, along with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Cook for around 3 minutes.

3. Add the potatoes, leek, carrot, celery and green beans. Stir and continue to sweat the vegetables for a further 3 minutes.

4. Pour in the boiling water and simmer for 12-14 minutes. Test the vegetables are cooked by tasting. Adjust the seasoning, if necessary.

5. Remove the pan from the heat and add the artichoke hearts and cannellini or haricot beans.