It’s almost August and tomatoes are at their peek right now.
I hope you take advantage of tomato season, as there is nothing better than a farm-fresh or home grown tomato…the kind that will eventually rot in a few days if they’re not eaten. Fortunately, in my house a good tomato never lasts long enough to go bad.
It always amazes me how many varieties of tomatoes there are now. To my recollection, there seemed to be 3 kinds of tomatoes when I was growing up, beef steak, cherry and Roma. We now have all these beautiful multi-colored heirlooms and the smaller, sweeter varieties.
I enjoy eating the larger varieties raw, in salads, or on their own with just a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt (hmm, my mouth is watering right now). I often use the smaller varieties, such as the pearl grape, sun golds or cherry tomatoes for cooking, due to their year round availability and their sweet flavor.
This recipe is simple, delicious, and is definitely inspired by the flavors and cooking style of my Portuguese upbringing, especially the addition of chili pepper. I also had 2 pounds of pre-cooked green beans sitting in my refrigerator as part of my weekly prep…so there you have it.
Ingredients
- 2 tbs. butter or extra virgin olive oil or both
- 2 cups green beans/haricot vert blanched and cut in half *see note
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano/marjoram or both
- 1/8 tsp. red chili flakes
- Salt/pepper to taste.
Directions
- Heat butter/oil in 10″ skillet or pan and swirl until entire pan is completely coated.
- Add garlic, stirring or tossing to coat with oil and avoid burning the garlic.
- Add green beans, tomatoes, chili and oregano to the pan and sauté’ until just heated through about 2 minutes. You can continue cooking until tomatoes start to burst, but I prefer them seared but in tact.
- Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
*Blanching green beans – Trim and cut beans, if needed. In a 6 qt. pot bring enough water to cover the amount of beans to be cooked. Add 1 tbs salt and bring to a rapid boil. Add green beans and allow to come back to slight boil. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until crisp tender. Test for doneness. Drain, shock with very cold or ice water and drain again. Store in refrigerator and use when needed. Will keep refrigerated for 3-4 days only. You can also freeze in a zip lock freezer bag to keep for a longer period but just FYI, the texture will be a bit mushy. I don’t recommend, but I have done it to save them from going bad. I just add them to soups or stews towards the end of their cooking time.
Serves 2