Green Beans with Longaniza
Green Beans with Longaniza are a delightful, unique way to serve these vegetables topped with the sweet-savory flavors of crumbled longanizas, Filipino cured pork sausages. Blanch the green beans (a.k.a. as habitchuelas to Filipinos) ahead, then combine them in a quick stir-fry with garlic, onions, and the longanizas. Serve this as a side or main dish for the holidays, Thanksgiving or family meals. This is a recipe by Elizabeth Ann Quirino for The Quirino Kitchen.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 0.3kcal
Equipment
- 1 Large saucepan
- 1 Large skillet - 12 to 14 inches diameter
- Large bowl
- chopping board
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh green beans, edges trimmed, sliced in 2-inch length pieces; about 3 cups
- water to blanch; enough to cover vegetables in pan
- 2 cups ice cubes, to soak green beans
- 4 pieces large pork longanizas, Filipino cured sausages
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 whole medium-sized yellow or white onion, sliced
- 2 whole large tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For serving:
- steamed rice
Instructions
To prepare green beans:
- In a large saucepan filled with water (enough to cover the green beans), over high heat, and a rolling boil, drop the green beans.Blanch the vegetables for about 5 minutes till they are soft.Using a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans to a large bowl filled with iced water and ice cubes. Set aside. Let the vegetables soak while you cook the longanizas .
To cook the pork longanizas:
- In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add the pork longanizas. If sausages have casings, prick each one with a fork.Pour the half cup of water into the skillet. The water will be absorbed by the sausages in the next 5 minutes. This step softens the meat as it cooks.Once the water has evaporated completely into the longanizas, a small amount of fat will be rendered by the pork.
- Pour the vegetable oil to the longanizas. Continue cooking for about 5 to 6 minutes more till pork is fully cooked.Remove the longanizas from the skillet. On a chopping board, using a knife, remove the sausage casings. Chop up the sausage filling till it is crumbled like ground meat. Set aside.
To stir fry and assemble the Green Beans with Longanizas:
- Using the same skillet, with the oil and longaniza drippings, over medium heat, stir fry the garlic, onions and tomatoes for about 3 minutes till soft and fragrant.Drain the blanched green beans and discard the iced water.Add the green beans to the rest of the ingredients in the skillet. Combine the vegetables.Season with salt and pepper.Sprinkle the crumbled and cooked pork longanizas all over, reserving some for a decorative topping.Serve warm with rice.
Cook's comments:
- Longanisas can be purchased at Asian or Filipino groceries here in the USA. In the Philippines, they are easy to find in most food stores all over the country.Longanisas have a bold, robust flavor so they practically define this vegetable entree. These are cured pork sausages which are usually breakfast fare in the Philippines, often served with sinangag (garlic fried rice). Each province and region has its own specialty and flavors depending on the local resources. For example, Pampanga longanizas are predominantly sweet, while the Vigan Longanizas in the northern provinces are garlicky and saltier. Flavors differ depending on the geography and ecosystem of each province.
Nutrition
Serving: 100grams | Calories: 0.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.1g | Protein: 0.01g | Fat: 0.01g | Saturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 2mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.02mg