I never did find out what this was called in Germany, but I do know itās surprisingly good even though itās the kind of concoction youād come up with to make use of the last three ingredients in the house. The pearsā sweetness offsets the saltiness of the ham (this is a good place to use ordinary ham, as long as itās not too sweet; prosciutto or the like would be overkill), the green beans add freshness (and welcome color), and the three distinct textures make the eating fun. Serve with simply cooked meat or fish.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the butter in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the ham into 1/2-inch chunks. Add it and raise the heat to high.
Step 2
While the ham cooksāstir it occasionally, but let it brown a bit on the bottomāpeel and core the pears and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Lower the heat to medium and add them to the pan; stir occasionally. Trim the beans, cut them into roughly 2-inch lengths, rinse them quickly, and add them to the skillet along with a sprinkling of salt and at least 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for a minute, then raise the heat to medium-high, add the chicken stock, and stir.
Step 3
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are bright green and semitender, the pears are quite tender, and the liquid so reduced that it is essentially a sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.
