LOUBIEH B ZEIT

Loubieh B-Zeit takes the best of an appetizer with its lightness and the best of a main meal with its fulfilling tomato-broth characteristics. Ideal string beans to use for this dish are flat and smooth and in season during summer, rather than the round and hairy string beans available all year round. The base of this dish is extra virgin olive oil, onions and garlic which cook down and are topped with string beans and grated tomatoes. I also add a whole bulb of garlic cut in half horizontally for an additional depth of flavor. As the tomatoes reduce and the garlic bulbs heat up, the string beans tenderize as they absorb the generous amount of warm flavors. I serve Loubieh B Zeit with fresh white onions, radish and pita bread. The perfect bite includes a tomato-sweetened cooked clove of garlic from the whole garlic bulb.

DETAILS

A comforting appetizer with a prep time of 15 minutes and a cook time of 1 hour.

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INGREDITNS

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon all spice
3 garlic cloves, diced
4 large tomatoes, grated
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
½ cup water
1 whole garlic bulb, halved horizontally
500 grams of fresh, flat string beans

METHOD

Step 1: Preparing the String Beans and Grated Tomatoes

Snap the tails off each string bean and snap it half. Discard the floppy and hard to snap string beans.

Add the tomato paste and water to the grated tomatoes and mix until incorporated.

Step 2: Cooking

Place a large skillet pan on the stove top, set the heat at medium high and add the olive oil. Once heated up, when you can smell the perfume of the olive oil, add the onions, salt and all spice and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic to the onions and cook for another minute. Add the string beans and garlic bulbs to the onions and cook while incorporating all the ingredients for 3 minutes. Finally add the grated tomato mixture to the string beans and incorporate until the mixture comes to a boil. Cover the skillet with the it’s lid, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour. Check in every 15 minutes to make sure there’s enough tomato broth, if needed add additional water. After an hour, remove the lid and make sure the garlic bulb and string beans are soft and tender, if needed cook for another 10 minutes.

Step 3: Serving

Loubieh B Zeit can be served warm or at room temperature with accompaniments such as fresh onions, radish and pita bread.

Photography, Food Styling, Prop Styling by: TALA SOUBRA

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