Summer Harvest String Beans and Tomatoes

So here I am with all these veggies just dreaming up different ways to cook them only to find out that people have already done them. Sometimes it feels the same way with my music. But then all you have to do is realize that anything you do has you in it and can't be copied. So here are my beans. Uniquely mine and uniquely delicious.

Serves 10 as side dish
You will need

• 1 lb. String beans (strung)
• 4 or 5 large ripe tomatoes
• Fresh Herbs
• Crushed red pepper
• Salt
• Oil

Start this one like many of my recipes in a large cast iron skillet. For my regular readers you may be beginning to understand exactly how much stuff gets cooked in this skillet. After you string the beans and cut up the tomatoes you can begin heating it up. Throw some veggie oil in the bottom and wipe away the excess with a towel.

When the oil gets smoking hot add your beans and cover with a splatter guard.

Stir pretty consistently until they are starting to get some pretty little brown spots.

Turn down the heat to med.

Next you add all those tomatoes. All those pretty pretty tomatoes. Let those stew with the beans constantly stirring until they start to break down.

Now it's time to add some herbs. You want about 1/2 a cup of various fresh herbs like these.

Only I want you to chop em up fine and only use half of them at this point.

well we're almost there. You can add a little water or checken stock if the pan gets dry. The beans should be simmering in a bit of liquid.

That's

• Basil
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Parsley

Now you just serve it up in a nice bowl and pour the beans and tomatoes in. Top with the rest of the herbs and some red and black pepper.

Yum.

Collard Greens, Southern Style

For some greens you need just a little time. For others, you just kill `em.
In the southern tradition I'm just gonna kill `em.
These collards remind me of family and football. It's always on the menu down in Dublin Ga for Thanksgiving Holiday. Props to all my culinarily gifted family down there.





Collards

You will need

• Collards, 2 big bunches
• Bacon (smoked)
• Chicken Stock

So take those bad boys and wash any dirt off. Next we're going to cut up the Collards.

Cut off the last 2 inches of the stalk and then cut about 2 in strips down the middle and then across so 2 inch squares is about right.

Cut up 3 or 4 strips your bacon into  approx. 1 in squares Toss in the pan. cook on med high till they start to brown nicely.

 Throw in your collards and bang pow pop then you can add your chicken stock about 6 to 8 cups. It should come up about 3/4 on the greens. Reduce heat cover and wait.


 In about 2 or 3 hours they will be tender and delicious. Add as much salt as you want and enjoy.

Yum.

Red Lentil Curry and Onion Cakes

So here's a side dish that I found online one time (a long time ago) and have never been able to find since. So I decided to give it another try. Lentils are an amazing food nutritionally and are really dynamic as far as things you can do with them. Be looking for the main dish tomorrow. Here's a hint. It's a stuffed leg of lamb.

You will need

• Red lentils (1.5 Cups)
• 1 Onion (Medium Chop)
• 2 Tbsp Curry Powder
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Salt
• 1 Egg
• 4 tbsp Flour
• Veggie oil

This one's pretty simple and can be used as the main course in a vegetarian dish or vegan if you sub 1 tbsp ground flax seeds 3 tbsp water for the egg. Thanks to theppk.com for that.

Start by soaking the Lentils for a couple hours. Careful about the size of your container they will double in size.

Throw them in the food processor for a couple of turns until they are chopped but not a paste, like so.

Transfer to  a mixing bowl and add your other ingredients.

The egg, flour, onion, and spices all can go together and then give that a good stir.

Now you're ready to make your pancakes.

Heat your skillet over medium heat. Add some oil to the bottom of the pan it will start to lose viscosity as it heats. That's how you know it's ready. Smoking oil is probably a little too hot.

Make a patty and gently lay it in the pan. Remember you are cooking with hot oil, which was used as a weapon in the middle ages becasue it HURTS when you get it on you. Please be careful.

Keep your eye on them till they look good. Like this.

Throw a little salt on them and enjoy!
Yum.

They're pretty good cold too for picnics and the like.

This recipe probably makes 10-20 depending on how big you like your cakes.

I'm entering this dish in the side dish showdown on Cinnamon and Spice and Everything Nice which is a great blog that makes me drool every time.