RECIPE: Braised Green Beans with Bacon & Tomatoes

This family recipe is a favorite of mine and one I turn to often. Excellent in the summer with fresh tomatoes and green beans off the vine, but just as great with a can of tomatoes and grocery store green beans. You want the beans to be fall-apart-soft here, so cook low and slow.

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds fresh green beans, ends snapped off and snapped in half if longer than

3 inches 4 pieces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into

¼-inch pieces

1 large shallot, diced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with liquid (or sub 2 large fresh tomatoes, if in season)

METHOD

Add bacon to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven and set over medium heat on the stove. Cook until bacon is almost fully rendered and starting to crisp up. Add shallot, salt and pepper and stir until shallot is softened and starting to brown. Add green beans and tomatoes and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and keep over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until beans have softened and are tender, up to 1 hour, checking for doneness at 20 minutes. Serve.

Beans can be made ahead of time (up to 1 day) and gently reheated on the stovetop before serving.