LAZY GREEN BEANS

Enough for 3-4 guests 

I use the term “lazy cook” without disparagement. Rather, I describe an easily managed, replicable recipe that employs a limited number of simple steps; requires few ingredients; and delivers a wonderful, delicious result. We shouldn’t have to – and most often we can’t – make elaborate meals every, or even many, nights of the week. Good cooking shouldn’t require us to shop and toil and struggle and spend lots of time and money to put something delightful on the table. Good, fresh, local ingredients do a lot of the work for us, and if we can highlight those ingredients with gentle brushstrokes that do not cover up their subtle but strong details, we succeed brilliantly. 

1 ½ lbs fresh green beans (French beans, Romano beans, Blue Lake beans) 
1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt 
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 
2 TBL chopped or on-the-stem fresh herb such as thyme, savory, rosemary, parsley, or a mix thereof 
1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
1 cup ripe cherry tomatoes halved through the stem; or 4 oz tinned peeled whole tomatoes, crushed; or 2 TBL tomato paste 
Optional: ¼ cup thinly sliced white of leek, or shallots 

Trim off the stem end of beans. Don’t worry about the tails. Place beans in a shallow pan with kosher salt and olive oil. Add water to cover beans. (Add leek or shallot, if using.) Cover pan with lid ajar and cook beans over medium heat until water is nearly evaporated, about 5-6 minutes. Add herbs, garlic, and tomato and cook over low heat until a concentrated, broken sauce is formed, 5-6 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.  

©2020 Christopher Lee