Grown-Up Lessons in the Kitchen: Spring Beans For One
Cooking for one, I had nearly forgotten, is a real challenge. After nearly a year of living with my parents, I’ve managed to escape the tiresome task of preparng meals from scratch in single-person quantities. As I try to relearn the art of making dinner for me and only me, I’m going to try to share more recipes designed to feed one person for a single meal, or things that I cook in advance in large quantities with the intention of saving and reheating.
It’s an exercise in economy, I have decided, and in being truly creative with leftovers. As dinnertime rolled around last night, after completing a 3-mile run, I was in the mood for something light, fresh and healthy, but also had leftover Amy’s organic chunky tomato soup from last night that I felt obligated to use up.
Ingredients:
garlic clove
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 c. fresh green beans, washed and trimmed to 1-2 in. pieces
½ tomato purée, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, or chunky tomato soup
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. fresh basil, julienne or coarsely chopped
About 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp. Parmesan or Romano cheese (I prefer Pecorino Romano and used that)
salt and pepper
Directions:
1. Finely chop one clove of garlic and sauté with 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet over low heat. Please, please, please don’t let your garlic turn brown! Not even golden brown. As soon as the garlic turns, it bitters.
2. Add the green beans. If you’d like, blanche the beans first; I realize I’m in the minority in my preference for really crunchy green beans. Toss the beans in the garlic and oil and sauté about 4 min. over low heat. Salt and pepper generously.
3. Add tomato puree, tomato sauce, or canned crushed tomatoes. Here’s where my leftovers served me: I used leftover soup. Add crushed red pepper and basil. Set burner to lowest setting and toss ingredients to combine; cover and simmer for 2 min.
4. Uncover and add cherry tomatoes. Let simmer until their peels have just started to prune; transfer to a warm plate and sprinkle with cheese and additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with a warm hunk of baguette, perfect for mopping up leftover tomato sauce!
