Braised Green Beans, with Celery, Olives and Tomatoes
-Boil 2 quarts of water.
-Cut a big X on the bottom of 4 tomatoes and place them in a heat proof pan or glass bowl.
-When the water boils, cover the tomatoes and let the soak for 5 minutes.
-You should then be able to peel off the skins easily.
-Core the tomatoes then set aside.
-Chop up 4 stalks of celery.
-Tip and tail 1 pound of green beans.
-Put the celery into a large saute pan and add 2 TBS water or broth.
-Let cook for 5 minutes, covered.
-Add 1 TBS olive oil to the pan and stir well.
-Add the beans along with the following:
10 chopped Kalamata olives
1 tsp drained capers
2 cloves minced garlic
-Let cook for 5 minutes.
-Add the tomatoes and mash them a little with a potato masher or fork.
-Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes.
-Uncover and cook to evaporate any excess liquid.
-Stir in some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
-Before serving, chop up a small handful of fresh parlsey and sprinkle over top.
-Serve sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan cheese or some crumbled feta if desired.