Slow-Cooked Green Beans

Serves 4 to 6.

This is more or less the original recipe, from Fine Cooking magazine. I don’t think I have ever failed to double, triple, or quadruple it, and I know I’ve never thrown any away. That’s because (1) it’s delicious, and (2) it keeps for at least a week in the fridge.

4 T olive oil
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
leaves from 8 sprigs oregano
1 3/4 pounds green beans
2 tsp. kosher salt
ground pepper
juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup water

Place all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Stir. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Uncover and cook until all (or almost all) liquid evaporates, while turning occasionally–30 to 35 minutes. Taste to adjust salt and lemon juice.

Notes:

• A tablespoon of dried oregano works well in lieu of fresh.
• When doubling the recipe, it is not necessary to double the water–that’s really to help the simmer get started, after which the beans release enough liquid on their own.
• Some would say you do not need this much oil. I am not one of those people.
• I have used this recipe, in a speeded up version, with frozen haricots verts. Not as good as fresh, but not bad for frozen beans.