French Beans Stew

(Serves 3 hungry persons)

Ingredients:
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1 lb stewing beef (may be fat, with bones etc...)
3-4 cans (16 oz / 480 g) French beans (the green ones)
3 lb potatoes
1 tsp salt
1 beef bouillon cube (optional)
Spices: summer savory, salt, ground black pepper
some vinegar to season (optional)

Instructions:
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Drain beans and use the liquid to boil the meat for about 2 hours at low
heat. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt. You get a better stock when you
put the meat in the cold liquid, heat to boil and then continue cooking
slowly.

Peel potatoes and boil until done. You needn't add salt because the
beef broth will be salty enough. Reserve the water as well; you may
need it to add to the stew when it turns out to thick.

Take the meat out of the broth after two hours and cut it apart. You
should add the lean parts to the stew. Now add the drained beans. Mash
the potatoes and add them as well. When you are lazy you might use
instant potato puree, but that's not quite as good as the real thing.

Heat the stew while stirring well. If you consider it too thick add a
bit of the reserved potato water. (BTW, the right consistency *is*
rather thick!)

Season to taste with savory, pepper and salt.