Baby Broad Beans in Parsley Sauce

First wash, top and tail the beans, cut them into 1cm lengths.

Place them in a saucepan, pour enough boiling water just to cover, and add some salt.  Cover, and when they come to the boil, simmer them for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile start to make the sauce by melting 50g of the butter in a small saucepan, add the flour and beat until smooth.  Then gradually add the milk, beating until smooth after each addition.  Allow the mixture to cook for a few minutes over a gently heat.  Now when the beans are cooked, strain the cooking liquid into a jug.  Drain the beans well and place them in a warm serving dish.

Then quickly beat 150ml of the cooking liquid into the sauce - again gradually.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice, then throw in the parsely and stir in the remaining butter.  Serve the beans with the sauce poured over.