Loubieh b'zeit

Loubieh (LOO-bee, rhymes with Ruby)  b'zeit are green beans stewed with tomatoes, onions, and olive oil. 

This is one of my favorite things to cook in the summer. Juicy, dripping "bathtub" tomatoes that muck up your salads are exactly what you want for Loubieh and exactly what a good tomato looks like in August. Piles of green beans should be snipped and snapped whilst sitting in a rocking chair on your front porch chatting with your elderly neighbors. Maybe chewing hay, if you have some on hand.

This recipe, like many Lebanese dishes, is so simple it is hardly worth writing down. But with so much fruit and veg available this time of year, it is easy to run out of ideas. Come home from work, spend 15 minutes on the prep, go weed your garden while it simmers, and come back for a steaming, delicious pot of beans.

Loubieh b'zeit

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut
2 whole, ripe tomatoes, diced with juice
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil, plus a drizzle for finishing
Salt
Pepper
Allspice
Cumin

Fry onion in olive oil and a bit of salt until fragrant and translucent. Add green beans and saute until tender, about 7-8 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt and spices and stew for 20-30 minutes on low heat. Serve drizzled with olive oil over rice or with pita bread.