Cathy Katin-Grazzini
Cathy's Kitchen Prescription LLC
www.cathyskitchenprescription.com
Braised Romano Beans and Hiiros Tomatoes
To be more accurate, I should call this reverse braising, because the vegetables are first cooked with aromatics in some liquid, where they tenderize, and then roast briefly in a hot oven where they become meltingly soft and caramelized. It’s a winning formula for these flat Romano beans, shallots, thyme, and petite flavorful Hiiros tomatoes on the vine. Hiiros, which means scarlet is the American brand of Japanese Kazuti tomato variety, renowned for their deeply umami sweet flavor and high lycopene and vitamin content. This dish involves so little prep, you can whip it up in no time. Garnish with a light sprinkle with a good quality brined green olives. This dish makes is fabulous as a starter, served with crusty artisanal 100% whole grain sourdough bread or as an entrée, served with a whole grain.
Prep time 5 minutes
Cook time 30 to 35 minutes
Serves 3 to 4
1 pound fresh Roman beans, stem tops removed
1.5 pounds hiiros tomatoes on the vine or similar cherry tomato
3 medium shallots, peeled and cut in ¼” slices
3 large clove garlic, cut in 1/8” slices
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, stems removed
½ cup no-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup Lebanese Zejd Souri, Italian Ligurian, French Picholine or similar quality brined green olives
1/3 cup aka (red) miso paste, diluted with 2/3 cup water
Arrange the Romano beans in a large stainless skillet that comes with a tight fitting lid. Intersperse with the sliced shallot and garlic, lay down the strips of Hiiros tomatoes attached to their vines. Sprinkle the thyme over the surface, and pour the vegetable broth until it come ½” up the sides of the skillet.
Preheat the oven the 450°F in a conventional oven, 425°F in a convection oven.
Cover the pan and cook at a moderately gentle simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and use a paring knife inserted into a Romano bean to test for doneness. It should pierce the bean with no resistance.
If the vegetables have produced more liquid than ½”, pour the excess out. Now roast the skillet, uncovered, in the oven. For 5 to 15 minutes, checking it occasionally. The fast hot roast is intended to reduce much of the liquid, leaving just enough to glaze the vegetables. The dish is ready when the tomatoes have begun to caramelize and lightly darken.
Brush the cooking sauce over the vegetables to glaze them. Sprinkle a small handful of the olives over the surface. When plating, you can remove the tomatoes from the vine or not, as you like. Drizzle with diluted aka miso and season to taste. Serve warm.
