French Beans in a Scarlet Coat

In this Provencal recipe green beans are cooked with a thick tomato and herb sauce. This dish can be eaten hot although it is very good served cold as a salad accompanying a main course or as part of an hors-d'oeuvre.

SERVES 4

1 lb. slim green beans
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion,finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
a splash of red wine
a little sugar
a few sprigs of parsley
a sprig of thyme
a sprig of basil
1 bay leaf
salt, freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp chopped basil or parsley

Trim the ends off the green beans. Either leave the beans whole or cut them into short lengths. Cook in boiling salted water for 8 - 10 minutes, then drain. Refresh in cold water and drain once more.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion until golden. Add the garlic, tomatoes, wine, sugar, sprigs of herbs, bay leaf, and some salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then cover and cook over low heat for I5 minutes. Add the beans and cook for 20-30 minutes over low heat until the sauce is thick.

Turn into a serving dish and discard the sprigs of herbs. Either serve immediately, sprinkled with the chopped basilar parsley, or allow to cool, then add the freshly chopped herbs and serve.