Lubyi bi Zayt by Nicole Hazaz (Guest Post)

Sadly, this week I couldn't get soupy. Work and life kept me away from my soup pot, but that's ok. I'll be back next week, and even better we have a new variation on a soup thanks to a contribution from Nicole Hazaz. She shared the Lebanese Lubyi bi Zapt soup or Lubi as she calls it, lubi soupy sounds good to me.

Lubyi bi Zayt

Ingredients:
One large onion
Whole garlic
Pound of string beans
Tomatoes
Mint
Oregano
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Get one large onion and slice it into thin rounds, sauteed in a dutch oven (or any soup pot) with 4-5 cloves of garlic, crushed, and a few tablespoons of salt and one of pepper. Once the onions become clear add about a pound of string beans, washed, with the ends and strings snapped off. Snap the beans so that each piece is no more than an inch long. Add enough water to the pot to cover the beans and cook for about 20 minutes, until the water starts to simmer. Once it simmers, add a large can of whole peeled tomatoes to the pot. Crush up the tomatoes. Add a tablespoon of mint and a dash of oregano to the pot, and let cook for another 30 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

You can add more onions if you like onions, or more tomatoes if you like tomatoes, or swap out the mint for about a tablespoon of crushed red pepper if you want it spicy instead.

P.S. I couldn't find a pic on the interwebs, but I definitely want to try this Lebanese soupy, which seems really simple to make.