Ganach Lupia (Armenian Braised Green Beans with Lamb or Beef)

From Serious Eats. Lamb or beef braised with green beans in a tomato sauce. Looks really good and, with some substitutions, ingredients are accessible. This uses a dutch oven; they have an Instant Pot version, see link. .

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in lamb shoulder chops, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick - or - bone-in beef short ribs
2 teaspoons (6g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if using table salt use half as much by volume or same weight
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole peeled plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion (about 7 ounces; 200g), finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 garlic cloves (15g), minced
4 anchovy fillets (16g)
3 tablespoons (16g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper - or - 1/4 tsp cayenne and 1 tsp sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/2 cups (360ml) water
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup (225g) Greek yogurt
Rice pilaf, for serving

Instructions

1. If Using a Dutch Oven: Preheat oven with rack set in middle position to 325°F (160°C). While oven heats, using a sharp knife, remove bones from chops, leaving meat in large chunks and leaving behind any segments of meat clinging to bones. (Remove and discard any small shards of bone present.) Cut boneless pieces into 1-inch chunks and trim of excess fat. Place meat and bones in a bowl and toss with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for at least 40 minutes and up to 2 hours. Meanwhile, place tomatoes and their juices in a second bowl, crush coarsely with a pastry cutter or chop with a pair of kitchen shears, and set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon (15ml) oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add boneless lamb pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until lamb is well browned on 2 sides, about 10 minutes. Return lamb to bowl with bones and set aside.

3. Add onion and baking soda to Dutch oven and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and anchovies and cook, stirring and breaking up anchovies occasionally with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, until anchovies have dissolved, about 4 minutes. Add pepper paste, tomato paste, and allspice, stir to combine with allium-anchovy mixture, and continue to cook until mixture turns dark brick red, 2 to 4 minutes longer.

4. Add lamb, lamb bones, water, and tomatoes to Dutch oven and stir to combine. Cover, and transfer to oven. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in green beans, cover, and return to oven. Cook until meat is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

6. Stirring gently to avoid crushing beans, add 1 tablespoon parsley and season with additional salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl, top with remaining parsley, and serve, with yogurt and rice pilaf on side.

Notes
This dish is also commonly made with beef in place of lamb. If you’d like to substitute, use bone-in beef short ribs, either English or flanken cut.

This dish is commonly served with the bones. If desired, you can remove the meat from the bones after cooking and discard them.

Make-Ahead and Storage

This dish reheats wonderfully, and—as with many braises—its texture even improves after a day in the fridge. Reheat it on the stovetop, stirring gently so as not to break up the beans.