Summer Garlic Green Beans
It’s hot out, and I don’t have central air.
I also hurt my leg at rugby practice.
So I’m not real big on standing over the stove right now.
Fortunately, it’s also mid-August, which means that my kitchen contained everything for one of my favorite summer dishes: green beans with garlic and tomatoes.
The garlic is sweated in extra-virgin olive oil, so I don’t have to stand over the pan like I do when sauteeing; the dish is easy to ignore while you do other things, and it’s tasty hot or cold. The tomatoes add a summery, fresh kick to what is otherwise an everyday kind of dish.
Summer Garlic Green Beans
- 1 lb green beans, ends snapped off, cut into 1″ lengths (or left whole, or haricots verts…)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
Heat about a tablespoon of the olive oil on low heat. Add a little salt and the minced garlic, spread it around, and let sweat for about 5 minutes. Add green beans and tomatoes, and increase the heat to medium. Every few minutes, give it a good stir around. When the beans are bright green, add the black pepper, adjust the salt to taste, and give it another good stir. Turn off the heat.
You can let it sit there and continue to cook itself in its own warmth, or serve it immediately, or let it cool down and eat it cold with perhaps a dash of red wine vinegar. Personally, I like to time it so that it has been sitting about 5 minutes when dinner is ready for the table.