Yellow runner (wax) beans freshly picked from my garden make one of my favourite Mediterranean vegetarian stews. The secret with this stew is to let the beans, carrots and potatoes braise slowly in the fresh tomato and olive oil sauce, allowing the beans to become very tender and rich in flavour. The Sephardim from the Island of Rhodes call this dish “hanum fasulya” which, when in season, can be used instead of the green runner beans. Spanish fried rice compliments this stew best. In Turkey, “fasùlya” is served as part of a meze at room temperature, with crusty bread.