The French call this way of cooking vegetables à l’étouffée, which simply means “gently sweated”. In the UK, it is sometimes called “smothering” the vegetables (see Smothered leeks, kohlrabi and carrots).
The method is wonderfully simple. The vegetables are cooked slowly in a lidded pan with just a splash of water and a lot of butter, allowing them to become tender without losing their flavour or goodnesss.
GREEN BEANS FRENCH STYLE
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
500g runner beans
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
25g butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD:
Use a potato peeler to remove the strings from the edges of the beans, then chop the beans into small pieces, on the diagonal.
Put them in a large pan with the garlic and butter and two to three tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to distribute the melting butter and garlic over the beans.
Cover the pan, put on a very low heat, and leave to stew gently for 20-30 minutes, until the beans are tender. Stir every now and then, and add a splash more water if the beans look like they’re catching on the bottom. Season well and serve hot or warm
