Kristen McLane

Posted by Kristen McLane on July 2nd, 2008 in Food and Drink, Recipes, WFMW

I never had high expectations for frozen green beans. That is until I discovered a recipe called Fasoliyyeh Bi Z-Zayt (Syrian Green Beans with Olive Oil). This recipe sparked curiosity in me because it paired green beans with cilantro. Not a combination that I would have come up with. I decided to make this one day for a dinner party and I was hooked. The green beans are incredibly easy to prepare and the reward is a low-calorie dish bursting with flavor.

The recipe is as follows (from Allrecipes.com):

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen cut green beans
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt to taste
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Place the green beans into a large pot, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt to taste, and put the lid on the pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until beans are cooked to your desired doneness. Syrians like it cooked until the green beans are turning brownish in color. The idea is not to saute them, but to let them steam in the moisture released by the ice crystals.
2. Add cilantro and garlic to the beans, and continue to cook just until the cilantro has started to wilt. Eat as a main course by scooping up with warm pita bread or serve as a side dish.

Pair these green beans with a serving of warm pita bread and hummus for a perfect summertime meal.