It allows us a sniff, a peep, a stir, a taste. The very best sort of hands-on cooking. A quick (ish) green minestrone Broad beans, baby leeks, spring onions, courgettes, flageolet beans, peas, vegetable stock, chives, parsley, Parmesan Pod 400g broad beans, boil them in lightly salted water, then drain and cool under running water. Unless they are really young and small, I like to pop them out of their pale skins, but it is up to you. Thickly slice 200g leeks (I like to do them diagonally), then thinly slice 2 spring onions. Place them in a saucepan, with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and cook gently, covered with a piece of greaseproof or baking parchment. The parchment will encourage them to steam and soften rather than fry. You want them to be tender, but they shouldn't brown. Cut 200g courgettes into short lengths. When the leeks and onions are soft and still bright green, remove the paper, add the courgettes, two 200g cans of flageolet beans, rinsed, 200g peas and then a litre of vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Add the broad beans and 10g chives, chopped into short lengths. Roughly chop a handful of parsley and stir into the soup. Season, and pass round a dish of grated Parmesan at the table for those who want it. For 4-6.