French Green Beans

The butter, ham and starch from the potatoes create a rich, smokey, velvety “gravy” that I think is the only way to eat string beans; this is one of those recipes that we New Orleanians have all had all our lives. French-cut green beans are the string beans that have been cut in half on a diagonal.

French Green Beans

2 pounds French-cut string beans (you may buy uncut string beans and “French-cut” them yourself, just be sure to remove the long string from the pod)
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound diced smoked ham
1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
6 small new potatoes
2 cups water
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the ham, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until it becomes translucent. Add the potatoes and water, cover pan and cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the string beans, salt and creole seasoning and cook 20 minutes more over medium heat.

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