Greek Style Green Beans Recipe

Adapted from Allotment Gardening Recipe Site

This dish was a special favorite of my father Basil Anagnost and I dedicate this recipe to his memory. When I was a child, he would bring home bags full of vegetables from the local farmer's market. It was perhaps his way of continuing the tradition of fresh and local foods that he had enjoyed as a boy in the old country. How my mother would groan! As a typical 1950s housewife, she loved the convenience of prepared frozen broccoli florets. I think he would approve of this food blog project and I am pleased to make one of his favorites as my initial entry.

Ingredients:

1 lb green beans
4 T olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 large ripe tomato, skinned and chopped
2 T chopped parsley
2 t chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and pepper
1⁄2 t sugar
1 t ground cumin

Method:
Trim beans, cut in half or french cut.

Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onions and garlic until they soften.

Put the beans on top of of the onions, then the tomato, half the parsley, and the sugar. Sprinkle with the oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the pan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the beans are tender, checking the liquid from time to time and adding a little water if it appears to be evaporating too much. You should end up with a thick sauce.

Stir in the cumin and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Can be served hot or allowed to cool, then covered and chilled.