When green beans refuse to soften, the usual culprit is the tomato. Acid fixes the cell walls of the vegetable and stops it cooking. Add the tomato after the beans have started to soften and the problem disappears.
Ingredients
For the dish
Method
-
Trim the beans
Snap off the ends and pull away the strings, cut them in half and wash them.
-
Fry the meat
Cook the diced lamb in butter for 12 minutes, until it takes its liquid back up.
-
Add the onion
Add the onion and soften for 5 minutes.
-
Cook the beans
Add the beans and the hot water and cook covered for 25 minutes.
-
Now add the tomato
Once the beans have started to soften, add the tomato and tomato paste and cook for 15 minutes more.
-
Season
Add the salt and pepper and rest for 5 minutes.
Tips
- Add the tomato at the start and the beans will still be firm after an hour. The order is not an accident.
- Do not cut the beans too small; they shrink as they cook anyway.
- For the olive oil version, leave out the meat, double the olive oil and serve it cold.
Nutrition
265
kcal
18 g
Protein
14 g
Fat
17 g
Carbs
7 g
Sugar
7 g
Fibre
Values are per serving and approximate.