Sweet and Sour Beans with Tomato, Feta and Sultanas

Another Karen Martini classic.  This is a great vego dish on its own or a good side served with lamb or chicken.  The sweet and sour flavour is moreish and you can easily do without the chilli if you prefer.  Try to get your hands on some good quality sherry vinegar as it makes a big difference to the flavour.  I don’t usually use marinated feta, although I’m sure it would be good – as usual, I’d go for Dodoni or perhaps a goats feta.  I have to say, this isn’t Pete’s favourite dish – he’s not the biggest fan of the whole sweet and savoury thing, but I would happily eat a whole bowl of this to myself with some crusty bread, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Ingredients

60ml extra virgin olive oil

5 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

2 red chillies, finely sliced

500g green beans, tops removed

100g sultanas

450ml tomato sugo or passata

5 sprigs thyme

350ml water

3-5 tbsp sherry vinegar (to your liking)

2 tsp brown sugar

salt and pepper

80g soft marinated feta

Method

Heat a sauté pan (or a similar pan with a deep base) over high heat and add oil, garlic, chillies and beans and cook for 3 minutes.  Add sultanas, sugo, thyme and water and reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on.

Add vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced a little further.  Serve with feta crumbled over the top.

Serves 4