Braised Green Beans with Bacon

A Timing Note: Braised Green Beans with Bacon may be made a day ahead, cooled, refrigerated and reheated the next day. Their flavour will only improve.

You will also need a heavy-bottomed pot or casserole with a lid.

For the beans:

1. Trim the ends off the green beans and cut them into pieces about 2-inches long. Set them aside for the moment.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, add the pieces of bacon or the lardons and fry them. When they become golden brown, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside.
3. Add the additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot with the bacon drippings. Add the onion and sauté it, stirring, until the edges begin to turn golden.
4. Add the garlic and sauté it, stirring it for a minute.
5. Add the beans, bacon or lardons, sugar, salt and black pepper.
6. Add 1 cup of water or enough just to cover the beans and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer the beans, partially covered until the beans are very tender and the liquid is reduced to a few spoonfuls of golden ‘liquor’ in the bottom of the pot. The beans probably will be done in about 45 minutes or an hour.
7. Taste the beans and season them with more salt and pepper if they need it. Likely they will not. Divide the beans among plates, and dribble a tiny bit of the ‘liquor’ at the bottom of the pot onto each serving.