Green Beans and Tomatoes

Recipe No. 563 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Vegetables. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Beans, green — 17 pounds
• Salt — as needed
• Water, boiling — as needed
• Bacon, sliced — 1 pound

Onions, chopped — 12 ounces (¾ No. 56 dipper)

• Peppers, green, chopped (optional) — 6 ounces (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Flour, sifted — 8 ounces (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Tomatoes — 1 No. 10 can
• Salt — 1 ounce (2 mess kit spoons)

Pepper — (¼ mess kit spoon)

• Sugar, granulated (optional) — 2 ounces (4 mess kit spoons)

Directions

1. Wash beans and remove ends. Cut into pieces. Add boiling salted water.
2. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes or until tender. Drain; reserve liquid.
3. Cut bacon into ½ inch pieces; add onions and green peppers. Fry until bacon becomes slightly brown.
4. Mix flour and 1 quart (1 No. 56 dipper) bean liquid; stir until smooth. Heat to boiling point; boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add to bacon mixture; mix well.
5. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, sugar and cooked beans. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Beans, green — 1 lb 5¾ oz Salt — to taste Water, boiling — to taste Bacon, sliced — 1¼ oz Onions, chopped — 1 oz Peppers, green, chopped (optional) — ½ oz Flour, sifted — ⅔ oz Tomatoes — 1 cup Salt — about ½ tsp Pepper — scale to taste ((¼ mess kit spoon)) Sugar, granulated (optional) — about 1 tsp

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 563, Vegetables. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.