Turkish-Style Romano Beans in Olive Oil (Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasulye)

Now that summer's in full swing, the farmers' markets are bursting with fresh Romano beans--the broad, flat Italian kind. They're almost identical to Turkish çalı fasülye, the star of many summer lunches and dinners back home. You'll find them served cold as a meze, or as a light main dish alongside rice. 

The trick is to cook them as soon as you bring them home. If you must wait, they'll keep in the fridge for up to a week. After that, they start turning woody and lose their sweet green flavor, which is no good for this kind of dish. 

No Romano beans? No problem. French beans (haricots verts) will work just fine: see this recipe. 

• 1 lb fresh Romano beans, washed and trimmed (snap off the ends and strip any stringy sides), then sliced lengthwise and cut into 2-3 inch (about 5 cm) pieces. 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, sliced or chopped
• 2 big or 4 medium fresh tomatoes, finely diced, grated, or blended--or just blend a can of diced tomatoes for a smoother shortcut
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus 2 tbsp more for a final drizzle
• ~1 cup hot water
• salt, to taste

Cooking:

-Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (or pressure cooker if you're in a hurry). Add the chopped onion and sauté over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. No browning!

-Stir in the garlic and cook for just a minute, until it smells amazing. Again, don't let it brown or burn.

-Add the green beans and cumin. Stir everything together and cook for 4-6 minutes, until the beans brighten and lose that raw green look.

-Add the grated/blended tomatoes, stir and cook for 3-5 minutes.

-Pour in enough hot water to just barely cover the beans, no bean soup here. Add salt to taste. 

-Cover and simmer gently on low to low medium heat for 25-30 minutes, until the beans are soft and silky. 

-If using a pressure cooker: Lock the lid and cook for 12-14 minutes after it reaches pressure.

Whatever pot you use, let the beans cool in it, don't rush them into another container while they're hot. These Turkish olive oil dishes are better as they sit and settle.

Serve at room temperature, drizzled with a little extra olive oil. 

This dish is great with buttery rice, a thick dollop of yogurt, or just a nice piece of crusty bread. In my family, it's rice and yogurt every time. 

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