South Croatian Sautéed French Beans Recipes

SAUTEED GREEN BEANS TWO WAYS

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice water, and set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add salt. Add half the beans, return to a boil, and cook until bright green and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, plunge beans into ice water to stop the cooking. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining green beans. (Blanched green beans can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.)
• For shallot-garlic green beans: Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Add green beans, raise heat to medium-high, and cook until heated through and beginning to brown in places, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt. Serve immediately.
• For Asian-style green beans: Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add green beans, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add chili paste and sugar, and stir until well coated. Season with salt. Serve immediately.

SOUTH CROATIAN SAUTéED FRENCH BEANS

Steps:

• Clean the French beans and cut into two or three parts (3-5 cm).
• Sauté finely minced onion on butter until translucent.
• In the meantime put French beans into hot water and cook 5-8 minutes, than remove from water and drain.
• Add French beans into sautéed onion; add tomato juice, very finely minced garlic and parsley. Season it with salt and pepper. Stir and add some beef stock to cover French beans.
• Cook until French beans are soft, or 20-30 minutes adding beef stock if necessary.

CROATIAN ARMY BEANS

Steps:

• Soak beans overnight in water. Wash the beans and put it in fresh cold water unit it boils. Cook it for 10 minutes, change the water, and cook for more 20-30 minutes. Remove beans and put it in cold water.
• Melt the lard in the pot and add the sliced onion. Sauté the onion until it is soft. Add minced pancetta and sauté it for 5 more minutes, than add garlic. Sauté it for 1-2 minutes and add flour. Sauté it until the flour is slightly brown and than add paprika and chilli.
• Add water gently and make a cream of all ingredients. Than add beans and bay leaf and water to cover the beans. Cook for 1 hour on very gently fire. (in Croatia we have special sausages "cesnjovke" which we put in this beans and cook all together, but you can put any kind of smoked, dried meat - pork or beef).
• Very important to know is that you do not add chilli or any kind of hot paprika afterwards. Hot paprika must be cooked from the very beginning or you will suffer from very bad digestive process. We in Croatia always drink alcohol if we eat something hot, otherwise, you'll also have very bad digestive process. This meal is very good during cold winter, it renews your strength.

STIR FRIED FRENCH BEANS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium level and crackle the mustard seeds. Add the curry leaves, chopped green chillies and ginger. Fry lightly. Add the chopped onions and fry on medium level for about 2 minute(s).
• Mix in the french beans(I usually boil them for a fewminutes or microwave them for 5 mins or so to remove the raw taste), turmeric and salt. Sprinkle the water and cook covered on low level for about 10 minutes or till the beans are cooked but firm. Mix in the grated coconut. Sprinkle the lemon juice before serving (optional).
• Serve hot with White rice , chapathi or Warm dinner rolls.

FRENCH GREEN BEANS SAUTéED WITH MUSHROOMS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium heat.
• Sauté garlic until soft, being careful not to let it burn.
• Add sliced mushrooms and sauté until they look fairly cooked and shiny (about 5 minutes).
• Add almonds and sauté for a couple more minutes.
• Finally, add frozen green beans and splash of soy sauce.
• Stir frequently until beans are just cooked and, of course, no longer frozen.
• If not on the south beach diet or watching sugar intake, you could add oyster sauce or other Asian condiment to the mixture.

NORTH CROATIAN FRENCH BEANS STEW ("CUSPAJZ OD MAHUNA")

Steps:

• Clean the French beans and cut into 5 cm long pieces.
• Boil the water and put French beans into boiling water and cook not more than 10 minutes. Drain the beans and put aside.
• During this melt lard and saute finely minced onion, than add flour and fry flour (not too much) with finely minced garlic. Add cold water and stir until you get creamy mixture, add paprika, salt pepper and vinegar. Add some more water, heat it and add French beans.
• Cover with water and cook until beans are soft or 30 minutes. At the end add sour cream, stir and serve.