Mediterranean Braised Green Beans

Name: Mediterranean Braised Green Beans
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons, extra-virgin olive oil; 1 , onion, chopped fine; 4 , garlic cloves, minced; Pinch, cayenne pepper; 1 1/2 cups, water; 1/2 teaspoon, baking soda; 1 1/2 pounds, green beans, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths; 1 tablespoon, tomato paste; 1 (14.5-ounce) can, diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped coarse; 1 teaspoon, salt; 1/4 teaspoon, pepper; 1/4 cup, chopped fresh parsley; , red wine vinegar

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated September/October 2012

Side Dishes

Vegetables

Vegetarian

Slow-cooking in a rich tomato sauce produces uniquely supple green beans infused with big flavor. Could we keep the ultra-tender texture but shortcut the process?

SERVES4 to 6 as a side dish

TIME1½ hours

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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

In order to quickly create braised green beans that are ultra-tender but not mushy or blown out, we first cook them in baking soda and water, to partially dissolve the pectin in their cell walls and let water enter to soften their fibrous s...

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