Green Beans with Caramelized Onions, Almonds & Thyme

This is a nice way to add a little sweetness and crunch to green beans. I made mine a little heavy on the caramelized onions (because I'm a freak for them). If you want to make a slightly more elegant version, see if you can get your hands on some haricot vert (green bean's stringless, longer and thinner French cousin). I've always imagined green beans just hate those skinny bitches (pardon my French).

GREEN BEANS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, ALMONDS & THYME

6 to 8 servings

kosher salt

3 lb. green beans, trimmed

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and cooled

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

freshly ground black pepper

1.      Fill a large high sided skillet with some water, adding enough to be just shy of the rim of the pan by about 1 inch. Place over high heat and bring up to boil; add a big pinch of salt and the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp. Drain the beans and then run them under some cold water to stop them from cooking. Reserve the beans while you start the onions.

2.      Return the skillet you cooked the beans in to the cook top over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast stirring every now and then until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the almonds from the skillet and reserve.

3.      Return the skillet to the heat and add the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter has melted. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, about 25 minutes.

4.      Add the thyme, and cook for another 5 minutes.

5.      Add the cooked cooled green beans and almonds, and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

from Tyler Florence

blanching the green beans

draining the green beans

toasting the almonds

I didn't have sliced almonds, so I used slivered

slicing onion

raw onion in the pan

caramelized onion

thyme

thyme mixed with onions

adding back the green beans

adding back the almonds and mixing it all together

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