Turkish Green Beans and Olive Oil
Although we don't see much Turkish olive oil in North American shops, the country is a major producer, so it's no wonder that an entire branch of Turkish cuisine, called zeytinyagilar, is given over to the art of cooking vegetables in olive oil—eggplant, beans, leeks, stuffed peppers, grape leaves, and tomatoes, even pumpkin and Jerusalem artichokes. Green beans prepared this way are a favorite. Don't be put off by the quantity of oil in this recipe—it lends a great deal of flavor and is not at all oily.
If you use canned tomatoes, which is perfectly acceptable, drain them well before and after chopping to avoid excess liquid in the pan.
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- 1 cup yellow onions, finely chopped (about 8 ounces)
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped, peeled tomatoes
- 1 pound slender, young green beans, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1/2 cup water
- Sugar
- Sea salt
Combine the onions, garlic, and olive oil in a saucepan and set over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Do not let the onions brown. When the onions are soft, stir in the tomatoes and green beans and mix well. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the beans are just starting to get tender, shaking the pan occasionally. Add the water to the pan, along with a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. Cover again and continue cooking over low heat until the beans are very tender, about 30 minutes. Don't worry about overcooking as the beans should be almost falling apart in the rich tomato sauce.
Note: This combination is delicious as a topping for pasta.
Makes 4 servings.
From "The Essential Mediterranean" by Nancy Harmon Jenkins
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