7/31/2006 11:53:00 AM|||Jodie Chase|||

I can't really explain why, but one of my very favorite foods in the
entire world is green beans -- which are at peak season in home
gardens everwhere. I don't have any in my garden this year, but I
know where they grow and I know how to get my hands on them...

I like green beans raw. I enjoy them barely steamed. I love them
sauteed. I like them in salads, with pasta, on top of rice, and
alongside any kind of meat you might imagine. But the one green bean
dish I just cannot possibly resist are overcooked green beans
with bacon and new potatoes. Yes, I know, overcooked vegetables are
not today. They're not in vogue. They're actually considered lowbrow
and inedible in many circles.

But the simple reality, and one that many highfalutin chefs do not
recognize, is that green beans are veg-o-phrenics, able to take on a
range of perfectly delightful personalities. Served crisp, they are
fresh and clean, just the right side for fish or chicken.

But overcook the long strands of green, and they transform, both in
color and flavor, into an entirely different food -- something unlike
anything many Californians have ever seen or tasted -- especially
those who eat at chic restaurants that consider overcooking
vegetables a fire-able offense.

I concede that more than 20 minutes of cooking transforms them, but I
argue that the result is not lesser, but a different vegetable
entirely, and one worthy of culinary respect. Overcooked (aka
braised) green beans turn a distinct olive green, and take on deeper
flavors; the full, rich flavors of the quintessential comfort food.

All those who doubt my claim need only to risk a handful of green
beens. Place said green beans in a pot with a few new potatoes,
whatever onion you have on hand and a slice or two of best quality
bacon, fried if you like. Be sure there's a little water in the pot,
but not too much.

Stew the mix for at least 30 minutes, an hour if you like. Above all,
do not fret when the green beans turn color. When the potatoes seem
done and the appetites of those whom you intend to serve seem to be
peaked, then it is time to serve. Place some of your wilted,
cooked green beans along with some potatoes and a bit of the broth
into a bowl. Grab a spoon, a scrap of bread and enjoy. Note that a
dash of sour cream, though inessential, can transform this meal from
good to great. Enjoy. Then share the joy ... of overcooked veggies.

-- Jolene Thym

|||115437271918816520|||Cooked to Perfection