Stew and Green Beans

One thing that I think is an advanced cooking skill is the art of menu planning.  It's something I've struggled with in the past, but I am now getting more confident about my choices.  Sometimes you want a cook with a hot, or a green with an orange, or to pick culturally adjacent foods.  And even if the recipes you've chosen to pair together are old favorites, it's sometimes hard to predict with strongly flavored items, whether they'll go together well at all.

Last night's menu was VERY successful in pairing two items, and I think the key was a common element (roasted red pepper), contrasting textures (crunchy green beans vs. meltingly soft lamb), and savory savory sauce.  They were amazing together, and the sauce so good that we ended up finishing our plates, looking down, and toasting and buttering some wheat bread to sop up the sauce.

Makes enough for 2 dinner servings, plus two lunch portions, plus 1 1/2 cups of sauce that I intend to eat over spaghetti.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/basque_lamb_stew/ (via Carol)

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/quick-recipes/2012/07/charred-green-beans-with-harissa-and-almonds (via my Bon Appetit subscription)  

Also, why don't I make harissa more often?  I've made it twice in the last month (two different recipes of varied difficulty) and it makes everything so delicious.  It goes over the green beans, but I also served it with poached eggs and sausage.  Forget salsa.... this is fast becoming my favorite condiment.