BRAISED GREEN BEANS WITH TOMATO AND FENNEL

    2 TBS bacon drippings

    2 thick slices bacon

    1 medium onion, thinly sliced

    1 pound green beans, trimmed and washed

    14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juice

    1 tsp ground fennel

    ½ tsp salt

    black pepper

Put 2 TBS bacon drippings in Dutch oven with tight fitting lid.  Add        onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.       Add beans, tomatoes with juice, fennel, salt, pepper, bacon and           bring    to a simmer.  Cover, reduce heat to very low, and simmer          gently until    tender, about 3 hours – yes, that’s three hours.               Adjust seasoning and serve warm.

         

                            CRUSTLESS  SPINACH  PIE

2 pounds fresh spinach                  ½ pound fresh sliced mushrooms

salt and pepper                             4 tomatoes, diced and well-drained

2 tsp lemon juice                           1 clove garlic, minced

2 TBS sour cream                         1 TBS fresh thyme

1 TBS butter                                 2 TBS minced parsley

2 scallions, chopped                      2 to 3 TBS Parmesan, grated

1 TBS butter

Preheat oven to 400 .  Wash spinach thoroughly.  Without shaking off water, place into a large pot over high heat.  As the spinach steams, sprinkle with salt and mash with a wooden spoon.  After 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the heat and leave until cool enough to handle.  Take handfuls of spinach and squeeze out as much water as possible.  Chop coarsely and place in a bowl with lemon juice. Mix in the sour cream.  In a saucepan, melt the butter and saute scallions until soft, add mushrooms and cook 3 to 5 minutes.  Squeeze tomatoes, add to pan and turn up the heat, stirring so the liquid evaporates.  Add garlic, thyme and parsley.  Grease an 8" to 9" Pyrex pie plate.  Spread the spinach over the bottom and sides of the plate like a pie shell.  Spoon the tomato mixture into the shell.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.  Dot with butter and bake 15 minutes.  Serve in wedges hot or at room temperature.

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