30g butter

1 onion, finely chopped

1 leek, thinly sliced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 pepper, yellow or green, seeded and diced

30ml chopped fresh parsley

15ml plain flour

1.2 litres vegetable stock

340g boiling potatoes, peeled and diced

a few fresh thyme sprigs or 2.5ml dried thyme

1 bay leaf

115g young runner beans, thinly sliced on the diagonal

120ml milk

salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole and add the onion, leek, celery, pepper and parsley.

Cover and cook over low heat until the vegetables are soft.

Add the flour and stir until well blended. Add the stock slowly, stirring to combine. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently.

Add the potatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

Add the beans and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

Stir in the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Heat through.

Before serving, discard the thyme stalks and bay leaf.

Serve hot.