Alex Roberts learned the secret to great soffritto—an aromatic vegetable mixture used as a base for many Italian soups and sauces—while traveling through Tuscany. "The trick is to cook it really slow—otherwise the vegetables scorch," he says. This year, he asked his father to grow some ají dulce peppers, which he will add to the soffritto at his new restaurant, the Creole- and Caribbean-influenced Brasa Rotisserie. More Healthy Vegetable Dishes
How to Make It
In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the beans until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain the beans and cut them into 1-inch lengths.
In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the carrots, celery, onion, crushed red pepper and oregano and cook over low heat until the vegetables are just tender, about 25 minutes. Season the soffritto with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the country ham and rosemary and cook over moderately high heat until the ham is sizzling, about 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar. Add the green beans and soffritto and toss until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.