Steak & Green Beans

jill Jill's Journal 5 Comments

A couple of weeks ago Dan & I drove across the state to the community where I grew up to attend my late fathers side of the family annual reunion. My sister Teresa and her husband Greg hosted the event on their farm. It was well attended with ages ranging from 3 to 93. It was a “pot luck” meal, which meant we would be enjoying a lot of old familiar dishes. The casseroles, salads, and desserts were strung out on long tables.  How do you choose when so much goodness is in front of you? There were the obvious homemade choices of, cousin Joan’s Lefsa, Aunt Evelyn’s Cake Doughnuts, Aunt Delores’s Meringue Pies, sister Teresa’s Rhubarb Crisp, and of course Jello Salad. The next day after our sugar binge, we gathered fresh vegetables from their abundant garden and made a favorite dish from our childhood, our mother’s “Steak & Greens Beans”.  It turned out better then ever. Maybe it was all the fresh ingredients, mixed in with a whole lot of laughter & love.

  • 4 – 6 oz. Buffalo Steaks (Stew Meat, or Steak Strips )
  • 1 – Tb. olive oil
  • 1 – tsp. salt
  • 1 – Tb. pepper
  • 1 – onion, chopped
  • 2 – cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 – ripe tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 – Tb. fresh herbs ( basil, oregano & thyme)
  • 1 – cup vegetable stock
  • 4 – potatoes, quartered
  • 2 – handfuls of green beans
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350*
  2. Rinse steaks or other cuts and pat dry.
  3. Rub steaks with half the olive oil and season with salt & pepper.
  4. In heavy pot or casserole, over medium high heat, and sear steaks on both sides to brown. Remove & set aside.
  5. Add remaining olive oil, onion, & garlic to pan and sauté for 4 minutes.
  6. Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs and stock, and bring to full heat.
  7. Add potatoes and seared steaks, and push into the tomatoes. Cover and place in a 375* pre-heated oven.
  8. Braise for 30 minutes.
  9. Add green beans and cover and braise for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and season to taste. Serve with crusty French bread. Delicious!

Wine Pairing: We had this with a couple of different Shiraz’s, Penfolds & Wolf Blass, Australia. Both were very good. Full and round with hints of plum & spice, and at an excellent price!

Comments 5

  1. Mom

    Hey Jill,
    I enjoyed reading your reunion notes. Just for comparison, here’s the way my Mom used to make this age-old recipe. (Note: traditionally this dish, like kibbee, would have been made with lamb but that wasn’t readily available on the prairies of SD, back in the homesteading days.)

    LEBANESE STEAK AND GREEN BEANS

    1 lb. lean meat cut into strips or cubed
    1 1/2 c. chopped onion
    6 med. tomatoes (or use canned diced or stewed tomatoes)
    3/4 lb. fresh green beans
    2 tsp. minced garlic
    1 tsp.cumin (*or more to taste)
    1/2 tsp. pepper
    1/2 tsp. salt
    1/2 tsp. allspice
    1/2 tsp. cinnamon
    2 tbsp. olive oil

    Peel and finely chop (or blend briefly) tomatoes, keeping all juice. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven. Brown meat in oil. Add onions and cook until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, cumin, pepper, salt, allspice and cinnamon (cumin, allspice and cinnamon are the secret of “middle-eastern” flavor). Turn heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. (We want the sauce to thicken and not be runny). Add the green beans and simmer another 25 to 30 minutes. Serve over rice, rice pilaf or bulgar wheat. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.
    *My Dad was always sneaking in more, when Mom’s back was turned; he loved cumin in everything and he pronounced it “kah-muhn.”

    Funny how mention of a recipe can trigger old memories – good ones.

  2. Ellen Southard

    Hi Jill & Dan:
    I love reading the newsletter every month. I found you from the Broken Heart Book. I read it just before a trip with the American Prairie Foundation last year. Its was good inspiration for me and now in my top 5 list!
    I am an outreach coordinator for non-profit environmental and cultural heritage groups. Its an unusaul way to make a living, but you two know what that’s like.
    I hope to come visit you some day and meet Curly. I admit I’ve had a bit of a crush on him for the last 18 months.
    I wanted to mention one of the program’s I work with called Salmon Safe http://www.salmonsafe.org
    I don’t know if you can find any of our wines in your neck of the woods, but if you can I hope you try them. We recently had a Salmon Safe summit with our 11 alliance organizations in Portland. At my request Buffalo for the Broken Heart was one of our readings.
    I just thought you’d like to know that marine habitat folks are inspired by the terrestrial habitat work you have done.
    Warm regards,
    Ellen

  4. Cindy Sievers

    I enjoy your newsletter every month Jill. Sounded like a good old fashioned family reunion…. love those. I also enjoy and appreciate your recipes. Take care.

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