Farmer’s Market Italian Green Beans

Farmer’s Market Italian Green Beans

Baltimore’s farmer’s markets are in full swing now that summer is here. I took full advantage of this on Sunday by buying all we could carry. We started out with fresh garlic and pole green beans then moved on to yellow squash and zucchini. Next stop I spied Italian Green Beans and had to have them. The mushroom folks had fresh chanterelle mushrooms so in the bag they went. We also bought two kinds of bread from the Breadery which grinds the wheat for their bread. The buying frenzy continued when I bought more garlic, this time heirloom garlic from my favorite organic farmer Rudy. The bags were getting heavy but I couldn’t pass up a ghost pepper plant for $2 and a couple of jalapeno plants too. Last but not least was fresh sweet corn on the cob to make a grilled corn salad with.

Now it is one thing to buy and carry all that good stuff, but the real work begins when you get it home! There is the cleaning, cutting, canning and cursing to be done. It does take a lot of work but once you taste the freshness of real food fresh from a farm it’s hard to pass it up.

My favorite buy of the day so far was the Italian Green Beans. I used to love the frozen version and would cook them in about a total of two ways. Today I made the version with tomato that is fast and furious and will have you eating these yummy beans in no time at all. Give this simple recipe a try with either Itaian or regular green beans soon.

Farmer’s Market Italian Green Beans Recipe

1 pound fresh Italian Green Beans, or regular green beans

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon garlic infused olive oil, or olive oil and 1 clove minced garlic

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon fresh oregano minced, optional

Wash and trim the beans then cut in half. Saute onions in a saute pan with oil for 5-7 minutes on medium low heat. Add the green beans, tomatoes,  and cook on medium low for 15 minutes covered stirring once, or twice. Continue cooking uncovered until desired doneness is achieved(about 5-8 minutes)and add fresh oregano if using 1-2 before serving .

Serves four.

Note:

You can use 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano in place of fresh by adding it in the beginning.

Chopped fresh parsley is a nice addition too. Add 1-2 minutes before the beans are done cooking.

For an extra healthy version omit the oil and saute onions in 1/4 inch of water.