Mediterranean Style Green Bean Stew - Armenian(Fasoulya) (Slow Cooked Green Beans)

   Are you a fan of Slow Cooker recipes? Would you like to try something different, than usual? You've come to the right place.  Here's one of my favorite dishes, and all-time Mediterranean style classics. None other than "Fasoulya." Although, you may commonly know this dish by a different name, it isn't your average Green Bean Stew. The major difference here, is in the spices, and extras used to bring this dish to life!

Here's what you'll need:                                                                                                     
   2lbs of Chuck Steak (you may also use lamb shoulder)
   1 1/2lb of fresh Green Beans (Frozen okay too)
   1 Lemon (juiced)
   1 Tbsp dried Mint
   2 Bay Leaves (dry)
   2 tspn Paprika
   4 Cloves crushed Garlic
   1 Yellow Onion diced
   2 tspn ground Cumin
   1 Tbsp Aleppo Pepper
   1 can whole peeled Tomatoes
   1 Tpsn Tomato Paste
   Salt to taste**
   Drizzle of Olive Oil

  First, I started by trimming the ends off of the beans. Then, I cut them into thirds. Next, I transfered them into a colander and, gave it all, a quick rinse. After that, I placed them into a bowl, and set aside.

   In a large pot, on medium heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil, then, add the diced onion, paprika, and bay leaves, saute until onion becomes translucent. Approx. 5 minutes. Turn the heat on low, stirring occasionally.
Next, you'll want to marinate the meat, using some salt & pepper, on both sides, coating liberally. In a pan, or cast iron skillet, set to high heat, drizzle some cooking oil that has a higher smoking point. This way, your meat will receive the amount browning on both sides evenly. I used peanut oil, but you can go with sunflower oil, or grape seed oil as well. Once that's browned, cut the meat in chunks. I cut mine in half inch, to one inch cubes. It's really up to you. Then, add in the meat, along with the juices. Into the pan you, just sauteed the meat in, you'll want to pour in some water, and boil that on medium heat. Then, remove from heat, and pour into the pot with the meat and, onions. To that, you'll add all the spices. Then, give it a quick stir. Next, add in the canned tomatoes. To that, you'll add the tomato paste. After which, you'll stir again, this time, keep your heat on medium to medium high. I used a grill guard, so that my stew wouldn't develop a crust underneath, or burn. If you stay on top of your stew, watching it, stirring when needed, you may not need a grill guard. In any case, they're very useful to have around. After stirring, you'll add in the crushed garlic, then, add in the juiced lemon, and stir. Now, it's time to add in the beans. After that, again, give things a stir. Now, you can take a small break as the liquid begins reducing. Make sure you turn the heat down to low or medium-low for this part. During this part of the cooking process, I set my timer for 30 mins., that way, it was easier for me to get up and stir again, and finally between tastings, allow myself to complete the dish.

   The process is easy, once you understand how liquid reduction works. It's a basic rule in cooking. Whenever your liquid seems low just add to it, until the meat becomes fork tender, and your liquid reduces to the consistency of a thick ragu, or sauce. The second time my pot's liquid reduced, I added the meat juices. Plus, this makes cleaning your pan a lot easier than, to sit there under hot water, trying to scrape it clean using, a steel wool. After adding in the remaining liquid, I let it reduce to its final consistency. The entire process took 1 hour, and 30 mins, or simmering. If you prefer your meat, and beans cooked to a softer consistency, then let it go for a total of 2 hours. You should be done by then. Also, you can definitely make this a day ahead, and reheat on stove top, by adding in some water. That way it helps re-steam it, and warms up just perfectly. Another tip here, is that by letting it sit overnight, this gives the stew a chance for all of the ingredients, and flavors, to come together, and sort of inter-mingle.

WATCH VIDEO BELOW FOR MORE TIPS

 

  Keep in mind, that there are a number of ways to serve this. I served mine on rice pilaf, but you may prefer mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. Traditionally, since it's served with rice, I went that route. I hope you've enjoyed this recipe! Please make sure, you don't forget to visit, and subscribe to my YouTube channel! Also, it would really help me out, if you'd be kind enough to share my recipes with your friends. See you soon!