Green Beans with Tomatoes Garlic and Herbs – à la Julia

Green Beans with Tomatoes Garlic and Herbs – à la Julia is a recipe FFA interpreted from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. These beans go well with sautéed ham, roast lamb or beef, steaks, pork chops or baked or roasted chicken. This is a 3-step recipe that’s simple to make with dazzling results. 

I prepare the full recipe and store the remains in the refrigerator to be used all week as a side dish. As with all recipes with tomatoes and garlic, this one improves with age.

Read more: Green Beans with Tomatoes Garlic and Herbs – à la Julia

Green Beans with Tomatoes Garlic and Herbs – Side Dishes with Flair

Serves 8; Preparation time: 15 mins.; Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• One, 28-ounce can whole Roma tomatoes, broken up with your hands, or, 4-to-6 firm, ripe red tomatoes peeled, seeded, juiced and chopped
• 2 to 4 cloves mashed garlic
• A medium bouquet garni (4 parley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 2 cloves tied into a piece of cheesecloth
• Approximately 3 lbs green beans (if fresh, top and tail them and slice French style; if frozen or canned, select French green beans. I used 12 ounces of fresh and a 14.5 ounce can of French cut beans.)
• 1/4 cup chopped parley, or a mixture of green herbs such as basil, savory and tarragon plus parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large, enameled saucepan, cook the onions slowly in the olive oil until tender and translucent but not browned, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the shredded tomatoes and liquid from the can, the smashed garlic cloves, bouquet garni and season with salt and pepper. If using fresh tomatoes, add 3/4 cup water to the pan. Let simmer 30 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
3. If you are using fresh green beans, while the tomato mixture is cooking, blanch the beans in boiling, salted water for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and toss them in the pan with the tomato mixture. If you are using frozen or canned French-cut green beans, just add these beans to the pan, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove the garlic and bouquet garni. Correct seasonings, toss in the chopped fresh herbs, stir and serve.

Or try this green bean side dish recipe from the NYT for French Green Beans and Shallots

Here is another delicious and tested vegetarian dish from FFA: Three-Mushroom Rage, Polenta and Garlic Broccoli