Green beans with tomato & mushrooms

This is a take on a Spanish classic vegetable preparation: a cooked vegetable heated in a tomato sauce. This one is made using fresh tomato with the addition of mushrooms and bacon or diced ham. The beans remain crisp and the bacon & mushrooms ramp up the flavors. If time is short, use few tablespoons of tomato sauce instead.

Ingredients

• 250 grams (1/2 pound) green beans (trimmed, cut in half)
• 1 large ripe tomato (diced)
• 1 shallot (thinly sliced)
• 4 shitake mushrooms (cut crosswise in thick slices)
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 2 slices of bacon (cut in strips)

Preparation

• In a sauce pan, bring water to a boil, add salt to taste & 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Cook on medium high for 5 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water, set aside
• In a large frying pan brown bacon in a splash of olive oil, set aside.
• Leave about 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, brown mushroom slices, set aside.
• In the same pan soften shallots in a little olive oil, add tomato and cook on medium until the tomato breaks down (3-5 minutes). Don't let it dry out completely.
• Add green beans, mushrooms & bacon and cook on medium for a couple of minutes to warm through and blend in the flavors.
• Check for salt, adjust as needed and serve hot.

Note:
1. The only spice here is pepper, but any tomato-friendly addition (Tabasco, basil, etc) will work.
2. Any mushroom will be just fine & some spicy chorizo could fit in nicely.
3. Baking soda in the cooking water not necessary, but will help keep the beans nice & green.
4. A good touch is to top with crispy fried onions or even grated cheese.

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