Greek-style green beans and potatoes in tomato

Ingredients

0 of 14 out on the counter

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1½ lb green beans, ends trimmed, snapped in 2-inch pieces
• 2 medium potatoes (213 g each, 426 g), skin on, scrubbed, cut in ¾-inch cubes
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 411 g) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juice
• 1½ cups water
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 4 slices (32 g each, 128 g) whole-wheat bread, one beside each plate

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Set a wide 6-quart pot on medium heat and warm the olive oil in it. Stir in the chopped onion and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until it is soft and clear.
2. 2Stir in the tomato paste, garlic powder and oregano and cook 1 minute, until the paste darkens a shade.
3. 3Pour in the tomatoes with their juice and the water, then add the salt and pepper. Stir, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom. Add the green beans and the potato cubes and stir to coat. Bring to a boil.
4. 4Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Go by the fork, not the clock: the beans should be soft enough to fold when pressed and the potato tender to the middle. At 5,000 ft water boils at 203 °F (CSU Extension, High Altitude Food Preparation), so the pot takes its time here; how much longer a vegetable pot wants is the house's call (our kitchen practice), not a held figure.
5. 5Take the lid off. Press about a dozen potato cubes against the side of the pot with the back of the spoon and stir them into the juices. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stirring, until the sauce clings to the beans instead of pooling in the pot.
6. 6Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and the parsley. Spoon a quarter of the pot onto each of 4 plates, with a slice of whole-wheat bread beside each to mop up the sauce.
7. 7Cool leftovers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 90 °F (CDC), then refrigerate in a covered container. Reheat to a boil, stirring, or to 165 °F.