Recipe of the week: Mediterranean braised green beans

Slow-braised green beans are “something altogether different” from the crisp-tender legumes you get with a quick sauté, said Andrew Janjigian in Cook’s Illustrated. The Mediterranean-style beans below are “so meltingly tender that they’re almost creamy.” To achieve that texture without having to cook the beans for hours, our trick is to add a bit of baking soda to the cooking liquid before adding the tomatoes.

Mediterranean braised green beans

• 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1½ lbs green beans, trimmed and cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• one 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved, chopped coarse
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• red wine vinegar

Place oven rack in lower-middle position and heat oven to 275. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1½ cups water, baking soda, and green beans and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes and their juice, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper.

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Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook 40 to 50 minutes, until sauce is slightly thickened and green beans can be easily cut with a fork. Stir in parsley and season with vinegar to taste. Drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp oil and serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 4 to 6.