Green Beans with Herb Butter

I've been so busy lately that I'm still finding recipes I made on Thanksgiving and haven't posted yet. Like these green beans. I was so rushed on Thanksgiving, that the only photo of the actual green beans I managed to snap was this one of the finished product (half pinned down by some instrusive stuffing that seems to be battling it out for plate real estate).

This is an easy way to make fresh green beans with lots of flavor in very little time (assuming you make the herb butter the day before, which I did). Love the day before.

GREEN BEANS WITH HERB BUTTER

Makes 8 servings

Herb Butter:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons finely chopped tarragon

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for boiling water

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 lb. green beans, trimmed

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1.      Stir together all the herb butter ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.

2.      Cook beans in a large pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 6 quarts water), uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes, then drain.

3.      Toss with herb butter.

Cooks' notes: Herb butter can be made ahead and chilled, covered, for 3 days (or frozen, rolled into a cylinder in plastic wrap and kept in a sealed bag, for 1 week). Green beans can be trimmed 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed bag lined with paper towels.

barely adapted from Gourmet, November 2007 by Melissa Roberts

tarragon

shallots

lemon zest

all the herb butter ingredients

herb butter mixed

herb butter shaped into a log and wrapped

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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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Minted Green Beans with Red Onion

While at the farmer's market, my husband spotted a gorgeous bunch of mint and encouraged me to buy it. While I could see the attraction (it was very lush and beautiful), I was confused because he hates mint. At least that's what he's always told me. I'm sure I had a perplexed look on my face because he reassured me and I threw it in our basket. If you ask me, I think he really doesn't like mint and just enjoys being the cause of that look on my face. He likes the idea that I haven't totally figured him out. So we brought home the mint. I figured he was probably envisioning something sweet (like mint chocolate chip ice cream) would be the end result. So just in case he thought he had me figured out, I put these minted green beans on his plate. Check and mate.

MINTED GREEN BEANS WITH RED ONION

Serves 6

2 lb. green beans, trimmed

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1.     Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the beans for 2 to 4 minutes, or until they are crisp-tender. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well. Pat the beans dry with paper towels and chill, covered, for at least 3 hours or overnight.

2.     In a large bowl whisk together the mustard and vinegar. Add the oil in a stream, whisking, until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3.     Add the beans, mint and onion and toss until combined well.

Gourmet, August 1992

raw green beans

blanching the green beans

shocking the greens beans in ice water

whisking the vinaigrette

chopped red onion

The aforementioned bunch of mint...pretty nice, but not quite
as dazzling to behold after just one day in my fridge.
Note to self: take fresh produce photos while unloading the groceries.

the nicest mint leaves of the bunch

adding blanched green beans to the bowl with the dressing

red onion and mint added

minted green beans

By the way, these are very good. Fresh, flavorful
and crunchy. A nice change of pace for green beans.

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