Try this delicious and healthy recipe from Ozlem’s Turkish table – ideal for those long hot days of summer as it can also be served cold.
Green beans cooked this way are a great national favourite. Enjoyed by urban and rural families alike, there are varying theories of how to achieve the best result. Traditionally, zeytinyağlı dishes (vegetables cooked in olive oil) are prepared in advance and served at room temperature, as a meze or vegetable course. French, runner and dwarf beans are all suitable to be prepared this way. Once cooked, you can store it in the fridge for a good 2-3 days.
Serves 4 – 6
Preparation time – 15 minutes Cooking time – 40 minutes
500 gr / 1.1 lb runner (green) beans, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
45 ml /3 tablespoons olive oil
400 gr / 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and black pepper to taste
lemon wedges to serve
Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil for a couple of minutes.
Add the beans and canned tomatoes and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes.
Pour over the water, add the sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 35 minutes.
Check the seasoning and add more salt if needed.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool in the pan. In Turkish cooking, it is important for the vegetables cooked in oil to cool and rest in the pan it is cooked for the flavours to blend well.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve with wedges of lemon to squeeze over.
This healthy vegetarian course can be served as a starter or an accompaniment to grilled meat. It is also delicious served cold with feta cheese and crusty bread.
Afiyet Olsun!
