Green Beans in Tomato Sauce

GET
10 large juicy organic tomatoes
1 1/2 pounds green beans
and some purple string beans
2-4 large organic garlic cloves
4 medium organic onions
3 tbsp cold pressed olive oil
6 black pepper corns
2 bay leaves
Savory (Satureja) if available
Basil and parsley


DO
The Tomato Sauce
Pour boiling water over tomatoes and peel them.
Press garlic and fry slowly in some olive oil in a pan until translucent.
After a few minutes add sliced tomatoes and cover with a lid. Add the pepper and bay leaves
Continue to cook on a low heat for some time. Stir occasionally. Remove lid for some periods to reduce the liquid.

The Beans
Meanwhile, chop onions and fry slowly in olive oil, stirring occasionally until lightly golden. Clean the beans and trim the ends off. Dry them. Slice beans diagonally into chunks, leave small ones whole. Add beans in portions to the onions and fry lightly.
Pour the liquid reduced tomato sauce over the beans and simmer for approx. 45 min.

If available I like to add some Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) or Winter savory (Satureja montana) in the simmering process for flavour.

Sprinkle with finely chopped basil and parsley before serving. Feta and rice go well with this dish.

The dish can be eaten hot or at room temperature.

Black-eyed Peas with Tomatoes, Chili and Quinoa

GET
500 g Black-eyed peas
10 tomatoes
2 large onions, chopped
6 carrots
10 Bishops Crown Red (Barbados)
or 2 capsicums
1 cup of shelled peas
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups of stock
6 Bird's eye chilies, hot!
10 black pepper corns
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon of pure cocoa powder
1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, well rinsed
fresh coriander
:all organic

DO
Soak peas overnight, drain water and cook till soft.
Chop and fry onions for 5 min. Add chopped carrots and capsicums, stirring occasionally. Make a tomato sauce, add the garlic, pepper corns and chilies. When the sauce has a thick consistency, add the cooked black-eyed peas without the cooking water. Set it aside (stock). Simmer for some time. Add the vegetables to the peas. Mix the cocoa with a little boiling water until dissolved and stir in. Add the well washed quinoa, the green peas and cook for another 20 min. Should it get too sticky stir in some hot stock. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander before serving.

The dish can be served with rice and some avocado slices decorated with finger limes.

This legume is a crop of the tropics. The peas are commonly used in the South of the States and India.