The Base: Beans, Olive Oil and Vegetables

The simplest building block of all — beans, olive oil and vegetables — for salads, sides, spreads and light mains.

The base formula

A can of beans, good olive oil and a vegetable is the most flexible starting point in the pantry. On its own it's a salad or a side; blended it's a spread; warmed it's a light main. It's the base everything else can build on.

What each one brings

• Beans — protein and substance; chick peas and white kidney beans are the most versatile
• Olive oil — the dressing and the richness
• Vegetables — freshness, colour and crunch

How to build it

Drain and rinse the beans, add chopped raw or roasted vegetables, dress with olive oil and something acidic, and you have a salad in minutes. Blend the same three with a little garlic for a spread, or warm them together for a simple side.

Base ideas

• A bean salad with olive oil and vinegar
• A white-bean and roasted-pepper spread
• A chick pea antipasto
• Beans and greens warmed in olive oil
• A quick bean guacamole for scooping

Keep it ready

• Canned beans just need a drain and rinse
• Dress salads just before serving so they stay crisp
• A spread keeps for days, covered in the fridge
• Change the vegetable to match the season and it never gets old

The starting point

Beans, olive oil and a vegetable are the base of a hundred quick meals — the three things worth always having ready to go.