Hungarian Heritage Review, 1991 (20. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1991-06-01 / 6. szám
Hungarian Green Beans 6 C fresh green beans cut or broken into 1-inch pieces 1/3 C vinegar 2 tesp salt 4 slices bacon cut into 1 / 2-inch squares 2 tbsp butter 1 small clove garlic 1 tesp salt 1 tbsp sugar 3 tbsp flour 1 tbsp cornstarch 2-1/2 cups buttermilk 1/2 C water 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 C sour cream 1. Wash beans and drain. Pour into a saucepan 1/3-cup of vinegar, salt, and water to cover the bottom of the pan 1 inch high. Add beans. Cover, bring to a quick boil over high heat, then adjust to low. Cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until beans are tender. Shake the pot occasionally, holding the lid tight. 2. Fry the bacon with the butter until the bacon squares turn golden brown and shrivel up. Remove, press out excess fat, and place on absorbent paper for later use. Reserve the bacon fat. 3. In a saucepan, mash the garlic to a pulp with the salt, add sugar and the fat rendered from the bacon, and heat through. 4. With a wire whip, mix flour and cornstarch with 1-1/2 cups buttermilk and the water. Increase the heat under the saucepan and, in a slow stream, pour the buttermilk mixture into the hot fat, stirring constantly. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat, add to the green beans, and mix. Add half the parsley, remove from heat, and leave the beans covered in the pot. 5. Mix remaining parsley, sour cream, and remaining buttermilk, place it in a serving dish, and slowly add the beans, stirring constantly. Sprinkle top with parsley and bacon chips Serve with port or veal. CHEF S SECRET: Cooking the beans this way will keep them very crisp and will reduce the cooking time. If you want to make this dish in the winter from canned beans, start it by frying the bacon together with butter and mix the salt, garlic pulp, and sugar into it. Then proceed. Add the rinsed canned beans at the end and heat through for only 2 to 3 minutes. It is surprising how fresh the canned beans will taste. From "The Chef's New Secret Bookbook" by Louis Szathmary. Copyright 1975 by Louis Szathmary. Published with permission of author. JUNE 1991 HUNGARIAN HERITAGE REVIEW 31
