Recipe: Greek Green Beans

Bonjour!

As the weather turns chilly, gray, and rainy, the scarves and wool socks come out. Le Chien resists wearing his coat and attempts to flee when he sees it (le sigh). And I start I to crave comfort food, which for me tends toward warm or carby delights like biscuits. Or meatloaf. Or chili. Or more biscuits.

Alas, as pleasurable as it sounds, I cannot nest all winter and eat apple cider donuts and chicken pot pie (or can I?). But I can put L’Husband to work making his favorite Greek comfort food dish from childhood, fassolia, also known as Greek green beans.

Fassolia is an amazing dish: flavorful and filling, low in calories and high in flavor. It smells heavenly, tastes great, complements chicken or fish, and freezes well if you make a big batch. The simple, rustic ingredients flavored with herbs and olive oil would suit even the most discerning palate. And it’s FODMAP friendly for those of us managing IBS.

And yet, in almost ten years together, L’Husband had never made this delightful green bean stew. The man who loves to cook and bake never even mentioned it. If not for our generous neighbor, Karen, who dropped off the fateful bag of fresh green beans one late summer evening, he never would have been inspired to make – and I never would have discovered – fassolia. He may never be able to account for such a transgression. Sacré bleu!

I am poaching L’Husband’s recipe and sharing it here, with more pictures below.

Les Ingrédients

• 1 lemon, juice and zest reserved
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 T. dried oregano
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 to 4 dried bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb. green beans (fresh: cut off tips and snap beans in half; canned: rinse and drain)
• 1 lb. potatoes, cleaned and chopped into 1-inch cubes (Yukon gold or new potatoes)
• Bonus: a bundle of any fresh herbs you have on hand (parsley, oregano, tarragon), though it’s doubtful at the end the growing season

La Recette

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Put olive oil in oven-safe pot, such as a cast iron Dutch oven. Add oregano and cumin. Cook over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add crushed tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, salt, pepper, beans, and potatoes to pot. Cook over high heat 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens.
• Add lemon zest and fresh herbs (if using). Transfer pot to preheated oven.
• Cook 35-45 minutes or until beans and potatoes are tender. Remove from oven. Remove bay leaves and fresh herbs. Add lemon juice and splash of olive oil.
• Serve fassolia hot with grilled chicken and pita bread. Or just grab a fork and go nuts. We don’t judge here.

What deliciousness will you cook or bake this fall?

Merci for reading and please subscribe and share!

À votre santé,

Katie