Green Bean Stew

It was another bountiful summer here in our little garden in once-sunny Streatham. Hard to believe that on a muddling grey November day like today.

We planted fewer tomatoes than last year when we went tomato crazy and I paid more attention to staking, tying up, pricking out the side shoots, feeding and watering and it's paid off. We picked bigger and tastier tomatoes this year compared to last. And although we've had less tomatoes I prefer quality to quantity. Not that we lack bowls of tomatoes to cook with! Apart from regular salads, lots of lovely tomato sauce has been made and frozen away for dark winter months when we'll appreciate even more the gorgeous taste of homegrown produce. The golden Jen's Tangerine variety in particular makes a vibrant-looking sauce (psst - I came across a fabulous recipe for pickled green tomatoes that I must share sometime, gorgeous it is!).

And the beans have given their all too, I tried out some new varieties this year and am really happy that I did. Last year I sowed the runner bean variety Scarlett Emperor, a traditional and trusted variety and it cropped well but, blimey, was it a stringy bean! Lazy cook that I am I decided that this year I'd try some beans that were stringless and I planted fewer runner beans (I ended up freezing so much last year that I still have a few runner beans lurking in the frozen depths of the freezer drawers). I like runner beans, especially with white sauce (memories of mum's cooking there), but they're not as versatile as french beans and not everyone likes them as much as I do (Tony nods in agreement there). The french bean varieties I planted were a Sutton Seed mix of stringless beans comprising of a yellow bean: Monte Gusto, a purple french bean; Carminat and Monte Cristo, a slender green bean. I also planted a Sutton Seed mix of stringless crossover beans combining the best of runner (taste) and french (tenderness) bean; Tenderstar, Firestorm and Moonlight. I think I'll plant all these again next year and in particular the Monte Gusto and Carminat as they look so pretty.

Of course all that planting meant a bit of a glut and apart from blanching and freezing lots (tick) or giving some away to neighbours (tick) I made this slow cooked bean stew. Based on a turkish bean stew it's a great dish, best at room temperature but we ate some one night warm with newly dug potatoes. Ahh, home grown potatoes. Now there's a treat you all need to experience!

I had meant to post this recipe much earlier in the season (I had meant to do LOTS much earlier... another story) and by now all our beans are picked, stems put to compost bin and roots left in the ground to add nitrogen to the soil BUT there's still beans galore in the shops even if they have been flown in for us to enjoy so there's still reason enough to post this. Plus it is very delicious and a perfect treat anytime. Enjoy.

Green Bean Stew

425 grams runner beans or any green bean or mix
(top and tail, string if not a modern stringless variety and chop into 2cm lengths)
90 mls olive oil1 tin of tomatoes
1 heaped tsp tomato paste
1 garlic clove
pinch of salt
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tsp turkish red pepper paste (optional)
1-2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 lemon to squeeze
water to cover beans
pinch each of ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon
pinch chilli (optional)
herbs: mix of thyme & organo
(I added some fresh lovage as I had some growing)

Method

Gently heat the olive oil in a saucepan and soften the the onions till translucent. Add the tomatoes and garlic then the runner beans. Add the pomegranate molasses, herbs, salt and spices along with the red pepper paste (optional), then top up with enough water to cover the beans. Bring to a simmer and let it simmer for at least 45 mins to an hour when the beans will be soft and yielding. Taste then add the red wine vinegar and taste again to check seasoning.

You can serve warm like this or allow to cool to room temperature.

Before serving I like to add a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten the dish and drizzle an extra of good olive oil over it. 

I made this again last night just to see if it was as delicious as I remembered and it was. Phew.