Stewed Green Beans with Fennel

This is tasty and remarkably easy. I’ve made it twice in the new year. Thanks, mom.

• Green beans (one pound? six handfuls? It doesn’t really matter.)
• 1 or 2 yellow onions
• 1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• Cooking oil
• Salt and pepper

Remove the ends of the beans. Steam or boil them until they soften. Meanwhile, slice the onions into fairly thick rings and cook them, without browning, in oil for a few minutes. Add the beans and the entire can of tomatoes and juice, popping the tomatoes with a spoon and mashing them a little. Add a cup of water, and fennel seeds and salt and pepper to taste. The key to this dish is to let it sit and simmer and stew (uncovered) forever, i.e. 2 to 4 hours (though it’ll be palatable in far less time), adding some water whenever it looks dry. Everything melds and concentrates and becomes a little jammy.