green bean stew

in honor of obama's inauguration i decided to make sitty's green bean stew for dinner. well actually that's a lie. i made it because i had a craving for it and there is nothing better on a cold january evening. however, i think it was a fitting meal since for me it is a dish that holds so many memories of my grandma and my lebanese relatives and their long journey here on the mayflower in 1492.

when they arrived at ellis island they were promptly quarantined and a few of them got typhoid and died. the others forded the river and shot squirrels for food with bullets they bought at the general store. after a long and arduous trek west, when some of them had to eat others in their party just to survive, they encountered some angry colonists who tarred and feathered them.

if this did not add insult to injury, then the fact that a dairy cow burned down half their city and then they were forced to live in the superdome for a month certainly did. after that they joined with the native people in a feast of thanksgiving where they ate butterball turkeys, dried out corn husks, and kraft singles. and that my friends is the american dream.

sitty says, "eat my green bean stew!"

getting back to reality, green bean stew is a family recipe that is based on a traditional lebanese dish called yukhnee lubee (literally: stew of green beans). i think the real lebanese dish is probably made with lamb rather than beef and olive oil instead of butter, and no doubt there is no campbell's tomato juice involved. but as much as i value authenticity in food, i also appreciate and understand the changes that many people had to make to their traditional dishes when they came to this country and could not find the things they were used to, and also wanted to try to fit in culturally. plus, this dish is damn tasty. so yay americanized ethnic foods!

sitty's green bean stew

(note: all amounts are approximate... this stew is very forgiving)

1 lb. fresh green beans (you can also use canned or frozen if you want)
1 lb. beef (literally every recipe i have for this dish just says "beef" or "lamb," no cut given. and sitty is notoriously bad at giving you recipe info. "oh, just use whatever you like," she will say when i try to prod her for specifics. so i have experimented and i have found that sirloin comes out the best. you can usually find it on sale at some point and then just freeze it until you need it. i found it for $3.99/lb at bigg's today. you don't want anything too tough since the stew doesn't cook that long for it to break down and soften up. whatever you do, do not under any circumstances buy "stew beef.")
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. campbell's tomato juice (all other brands are gross so shell out for the good stuff here)
2 T. butter
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. cinnamon

stem the green beans and rinse them in cold water. set aside. (omit this step obviously if you are using canned or frozen).

melt butter in a large, deep pan. saute beef in the butter for a couple minutes until it is about halfway brown and halfway pink. add onions and garlic and cook until the meat is cooked through. add the green beans, salt, pepper, and cinnamon. put the lid on and cook on low for about 45 minutes. stir occasionally.

add the tomato juice and stir. taste for seasoning and add more of anything if needed. cook 15 more minutes until meat and green beans are tender. serve over rice pilaf.

green bean stew: a melting pot of lebanese american awesomeness

note to vegetarians: you can easily make this dish without the beef and it is (almost) equally delicious. if you want some chunks in there, add some chopped canned tomatoes.

rice pilaf

3/4 c. spaghetti noodles, crushed
2 c. white rice (any kind)
3 T. butter
salt to taste

you can cook this either in a rice cooker or on the stove. either way, first you melt the butter in a small saucepan and cook the noodles in it until they are a light golden brown. then throw the noodles, the brown butter, and the rice in either a rice cooker or a pot. add the appropriate amount of water for the rice and the salt (if you want it) and cook away. when it's done, mix it up and you have pilaf.

the rice pilaf. note: i overcooked my noodles a little... they should be a light tan color

and there you have it. delicious lebanese american food that never fails to please. literally, everyone i know who has ever tried this dish has loved it. you will too, i promise. if you don't, you can barter me to jefferson davis in exchange for the louisiana purchase and a couple of model t fords, just like my ancestors did.