Phaseolus coccineus.

The humble runner bean seems almost synonymous with summertime.  Ever since I was a small child  "runners" featured on our plate ubiquitously over the everlasting school holidays in July and August.  Easy to grow and attractive to look at this particular perennial vine is especially suited to growing in our brief and vapid summer period.

We have grown them in the past but we always manage to harvest them too late and end up with pods that are as palatable as chewing on an old sock.  When the pods are young and still tender, though, they can be a charming side accompaniment to many dishes.  And this is exactly what I did with ours last night.  I made some potato cakes to use up the remaining pancetta from last night's carbonara, and on the side I perched some beautifully steamed and dressed runner beans.

Now, my only gripe with runners is that I wonder how to cook them apart from the traditional way:  i.e remove the fibrous stringy bits from the side of the bean, cut them, strangely into romboid shapes, then steam them lightly (or as in my mothers case, boil the last tangible living ether out of them).  

You do, however, have to be careful with runner beans.  Like kidney beans, fava beans and the common green bean, runner beans contain phytohaemagglutinin - an organic toxin.  Eaten in a raw state just a few beans can quite quickly induce vomiting and profuse diarrhoea.  

If anyone knows of a good way to use up runner beans other than the aforementioned style then I would be most grateful to hear it.