Green and White Beans, Tomatoes, Shallots and Sage Recipe
One more green bean recipe.
The plants are having a last hurrah at the moment but I won’t be here to enjoy it.
This is similar to the one I made a few weeks ago except for one key ingredient change: sage rather than basil.
Fresh sage is at its best right now, giving a ‘fall’ flavor to the dish.
In the winter I make it with just white beans and sage; this is a late summer version, adding green beans.
Green and White Beans, Tomatoes, Shallots and Sage
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 8oz (240gr) green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2″ lengths
- 1 1/2 cups (15oz, 450gr) white beans, cannellini, drained and rinsed
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 10 medium sage leaves, cut into thirds
- 1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
Instructions:
Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender and transparent, about 7 minutes.
Add sage and garlic and sauté another 3 – 4 minutes.
Add both kinds of beans and tomato, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes, until green beans are tender and done. If they start to dry out add a tbs of water or chicken stock.
When beans are done, uncover, stir in vinegar and serve.
I have always loved green beans.
When I was a child my mother used to cook green beans with bacon and onion, then finish them with heavy cream and big chunk of Velveeta.
I really loved those green beans.
As is typical in a small town, everyone knew how much I loved green beans. One of our neighbors was going away for a week at the height of summer. As a gift to me she said I could pick her beans and have them all for myself.
Well, me and my family…. My mother would have to cook them as I wasn’t old enough, and if she cooked them the beans would be for family dinner.
Anyway, I went to her garden and picked beans. My mother cooked them and I was happy.
I went to pick beans twice actually It was a very happy week.
Until our neighbor came home…..
I hadn’t realized that in exchange for getting all the beans to eat (my benefit), picking the beans would keep the plants producing (her benefit).
I ruined her bean plants.
There were spiders in the garden, you see, and I was even more terrified of spiders then than I am now.
So I only picked the beans that I could reach without moving any of the leaves and disturbing any of the spiders. For those of you who have never picked beans that would mean I picked about 10% of the beans.
In other words, her plants stopped producing.
Since I’m going to be away for two weeks it will be up to mon mari to pick my beans and keep them producing.
Sigh…..
It’s not that he won’t do a good job because he’s afraid of spiders.
He’ll just pick enough to eat when he’s in the mood and ignore the rest.
He doesn’t share my love.
He’d rather eat the acorn squash.
Last update on August 29, 2014