The second side dish for our spring dinner party was a spontaneous one. The previous day I had picked up a bag of fresh green beans, and I was determined to find a simple recipe to boost their natural flavor.
I turned to Mark Bittman for help. His slow-cooked green beans did not disappoint. A great way to get kids (or your husband) to eat greens!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs green beans, trimmed
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 cup tomato, chopped (or 1 can, drained)
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 1 hour. Check every 15 minutes and add more water, if necessary. The beans are ready when all of the liquid has been absorbed. Add more salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste.
Read more about our spring dinner party on the Examiner.
(adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything)
It’s funny, I tend not to eat green beans unless I’m at home with the fam in NC. Their green beans are boiled and boiled and boiled – cooked with sidemeat – and yummy, but they are very much “home.” In restaurants, I enjoy haricot vert and the like but never once mistake them for the green beans I grew up on. In my own kitchen, which I share with someone much more of the haricot vert persuasion, I just avoid them. Maybe this recipe (from I book I own, nonetheless!) is a way to get me out of my own personal green bean rut!
I used to blanch my green beans and sprinkle salt and pepper on top … boring and bland! This recipe reminds me much more of what might be served at a Southern dinner table. I’m sure they won’t be quite as good as those from your childhood, but I think they’d make a nice, easy alternative for your DC kitchen! Hope you enjoy!