Pray Cook Blog

Garlicky Romano Beans

Good morning!  It is a glorious Sunday morning.  Hot and humid in my neck of the woods, but it is July in the south!  I thank God for the growing list of followers to this blog.  My goal is to be able to share some daily food for the body and food for the soul.  I pray for each person who takes a look, reads a scripture, or finds a new recipe.  I also pray the Lord will bless us beyond our needs and forgive us beyond what we deserve.

My friend, David Kitchen, posted the following on his Facebook page yesterday.  I have read it several times thinking “that is just how I feel!”.  So, thanks to David I am borrowing his quote this morning.

“For some reason, I feel extraordinarily thankful for God’s Mercy & Grace today! Until I get to Heaven, I won’t know how many times God held back the consequences of my sin & horrible choices (Mercy) … and how many times God bestowed upon me the many blessings & good things that I did not deserve (Grace). THANK YOU FATHER … THANK YOU JESUS!”

Exodus 33:19   And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.    Exodus 33:18-20 (in Context) Exodus 33 (Whole Chapter)

The recipe I am posting today is a new one for me.  Last year we received French Green Bean seeds from our friends Bill and Sue.  We feasted on delicious beans all through the summer and the canned beans through the fall and winter.  However, this summer those little bean seeds were washed away in some of our extremely heavy rains.  In the meantime, our friend Todd told us he always plants Romano Beans.  Romano beans are a form of flat snap bean which originated in Italy. Many Italians cook with these beans when they are in season during the summer months, and they are also cultivated in other regions of the world.  Like other snap beans, Romano beans are supposed to be eaten whole. They are considered ripe when they make a crisp “snap” if they are broken in half, and they have a very mild flavor and a tender texture. Romano beans are often braised with other summer vegetables and eaten as a side dish, and they can also be added to soups, stews, stir fries, and assortment of other dishes.

There are two things I really like about this recipe.  First, it makes a delicious bean dish which really highlights the flavor and texture of the Roma bean.  We like our fresh beans tender-crisp, so I typically don’t cook them to death.

Secondly, even if you don’t want to cook beans, take a look at the GARLIC and ROSEMARY INFUSED OIL.  I am beginning to imagine all sorts of uses for this wonderfully fragrant, tasty oil.  (Salad dressings, Chicken and Dressing, oil in my Italian bread recipe … the list goes on.)

GARLICKY ROMANO BEANS

Garlicky Romano Beans

Hands-on time: 10 minutes (if oil is already done, 15 if not)
Time to table: 15 minutes (ditto, 35 if not)
Serves 4

**GARLIC- and ROSEMARY-INFUSED OIL
**

Dried Rosemary

1 cup olive oil

One large sprig of fresh rosemary – or 2 tablespoons of dried rosemary

5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with flat of a knife – or 2 ½ teaspoons minced garlic (from a jar)

Sizzling!

Heat oil, rosemary and garlic in a skillet (the larger surface area heats the oil more evenly and quickly) until the rosemary sizzles.

Turn off heat and let rest for 20 minutes. Remove the rosemary and garlic.  Store oil in the refrigerator so you can use it as needed.

RomA Beans

Salted water to cover (see Notes)
1 pound beans, ends snapped
1 cube chicken or beef bouillon (optional)
1 tablespoon Garlic and Rosemary Infused Oil
1 tablespoon good bread crumbs, optional
Salt & pepper

Bring the salted water and bouillon to a boil.

Add the beans and cook for 10 to 15  minutes or until done but still bright green. (They cook faster than regular green beans.)

Drain and toss with the oil and bread crumbs if using. Season to taste.

Garlicky Romano Beans

NOTES

  • The garlic- and rosemary-infused oil came from another salad. But it’s so good that I’ve now made a cup for salads and vegetables for the next couple of weeks. The beans themselves only call for one tablespoon so there’s plenty leftover for other uses.

  • Well-salted water is so important to pulling the most flavor from green beans. I allow 1/2 tablespoon of table salt (or a tablespoon of kosher salt) per quart of water.  If using the bouillon it will also add a little bit of salt.

  • When a meal requires hands-on prep just before serving, I cook the beans ahead of time, then cool quickly in a bowl of ice water. I dry the beans on paper towels, then chill them until it’s time to serve them. Just before serving, warm a tablespoon of the oil in a skillet, add the beans and warm through.

  • Skip the bread crumbs for a low-carb vegetable.

Garlic – the size of garlic cloves varies tremendously.  In most recipes that call for one minced or chopped clove, you should expect to get about three-quarters of a teaspoon per clove.