Green Beans, Greek Style (Fasolakia Lathera)



This was always my dish to bring for Thanksgiving and one year I only had canned tomato sauce marinated in basil. I reluctantly made it with the basil and one of my cousins'thought it was the best green bean dish I ever made - who knew.  I have eaten it with and without olive oil and much prefer the green beans cooked with a 1/2 of olive oil.





Green Beans, Greek Style

 (Fasolakia Ladera)



Note: I used small carrots that were already clean and ready to go....

Green Beans, Greek Style (Fasolakia Ladera)


Cook: 60 min

Prep: 10 min

Serves: 6

Prepare green beans by simmering in water with tomato sauce, and lots of herbs. May use fresh tomatoes and small round potato of choice cut in half. It tastes even better the next day by allowing the flavors to meld. Don’t forget to use a lot of herbs!!! Check out the URL for some time-saving tips.

 

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound green string beans

2 Russet potatoes

½ cup olive oil

Parsley, oregano & mint, to taste

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

2 large carrots

Parsley, oregano & mint, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

 

Sauté onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil in dutch oven. Cut ends off of string beans and then cut in half French style on the diagonal. Add green beans, tomato sauce, carrots (peeled and cubed), russet potatoes (peeled and cubed) and ½ cup olive oil to the dutch oven with onions. Cover the tops of vegetables with water and mix in herbs of choice to taste, salt and pepper. Bring vegetables to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook green beans until potatoes until tender for about 45 minutes.

Tips:

1.      May sauté the carrots before cooking with green beans.

2.     I use whatever potatoes I have in the fridge.  Russet potatoes are excellent and I like the small red potatoes that I cut in half. Peel and quarter or cube. Check for doneness when cooking by piercing with a sharp knife into a potato and checking for desired softness. The knife should pull out without any resistance. If you find the russets take too long to cook with the green beans to your desired doneness, may pre-cook for about 5 minutes in the microwave.

3.     This recipe may be referred to as fasolakia ladera (green beans with oil) or possibly fasolia ladethera. It means the same: green beans with oil.

4.     For a fast dinner, I often use diced can tomatoes or tomato sauce already marinated in garlic, oregano and basil. Or sometimes, marinated only in basil. I often add dried oregano, to taste. It depends on what is in the pantry.

5.     The green bean recipe may, also, be prepared in a pressure cooker on high for 15 minutes. 

6.     Some will add fresh, chopped parsley on top of the green beans, half-way through cooking.

Question of the day: what is the difference between cutting the greens in half or sliced on the diagonal, French style

1.      Cutting green bean in half is for faster cooking and sautéing. 

2.    French cut on the diagonal allows for a slower cooking in olive oil. This is common in Mediterranean cooking for a softer, tender cooking style and some say (like my Mom), it brings elegance to the green bean. 



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