I’ve realized I have a lot of recipe’s to catch up on, and lately not much time to cook, type and upload the recipes.  I sincerely apologize for the delay, I’m usually always on top of everything.  But, in less then a month, I am getting married and things are just everywhere and I am everywhere.  I know things will not be normal for another month; I thank you for your patience.

This past weekend, my mom wanted to cook fresh vegetables, so I stopped by our local fruit and vegetable market.  Saturdays are always a good day to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, especially from small farmers markets everything is fresh and cheap. I for some reason find supermarket fruits and vegetables to be overpriced and old.  Plus it’s always good to support local food markets!  Sometimes I wish, I was back in Yalova, Turkey ahh how I miss the Friday and Saturday bazaar sales.  This past year, when I was in Turkey in May I had helped my uncle and my aunt harvest and sell lettuce, kirbies and green peas in the Yalova Bazaar.  Right now they are in the season of selling fresh okra and fresh roman beans in the pods. (aka: barbunya, pinto beans)

Back to reality, at the market I saw a small box of the fresh flat green beans and I bought a couple pounds.  The picture is from my cousins Henna Night, by the time I went to take the picture, the pot of green beans was finished. Recipe as follows:

Fresh Flat Green Beans in Olive Oil

~ courtesy of Amish Market on 77^th Street & 5^th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Need:

• 3 lbs of fresh flat green beans (can use string beans)
• 2 medium size onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 large tomato
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• ½ cup of olive oil
• 2-3 teaspoons of salt
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1.5 cups of luke warm water

 Preparation:

Start with cleaning the green beans, break of the two ends and then break the stalk in half or in thirds, depending on its length.  Wash thoroughly in cold water and set aside.  Dice the onions and garlic finely and place in a deep cooking pot, add olive oil and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent.           

While the onions are sautéing, wash and cut the tomato in half and grade into a deep dish (or dice finely without the skin). Add the graded/diced tomato and its juice along with the tablespoon of tomato paste into the sautéing onions and stir for a minute.

Add in the green beans and continue to sauté about 3-4 minute.  Add in the salt, black pepper and water.  Add enough water until half the beans are covered about 1.5-2 cups. (Unlike fresh green beans in Turkey or back home, green beans here tend to soak up water (if they are not fresh enough) instead of releasing, if you feel as if the water is not enough add an additional cup or two of water.) Cook for about 45-55 minutes, until the beans are nice and tender. Serve cold or hot.

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