Green beans are a staple in my family’s home.
Since we serve them nearly every night, my siblings and I have been trained to wipe them off the shelves whenever we find good ones at the market.
Typically, we boil or steam them and dress them with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper, which is perfectly simple and delicious.
But when I saw this Cook’s Illustrated recipe, I was intrigued by the idea of browned, crisp-tender beans produced by sautéing.
Cooked in garlic butter and garnished with fresh herbs? Even better. I substituted the thyme for basil because I had a ton of it on hand (and honestly, let’s admit that thyme is such a pain the neck to mince).
I used my new T-fal non-stick pan to saute the beans. I love how the pan heats up so quickly and the handle is easy to hold. Clean-up was also super easy on the non-stick surface. I’m pretty sure it’s my new favorite pan!
Try these beans as an accompaniment to fish, chicken, or beef, and let me know how it goes.
And in case you missed it, check out my quick, healthy dinner recipe featured yesterday on The Everygirl!
xoxo,
Meg
Sautéed Green Beans with Garlic and Herbs
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, November 2008.
Serves 4
Note: If you are increasing the ingredients, increase the covered cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes, and use a bigger sauté pan.
- 1 Tbsp. butter, softened (I like Kerrygold grass-fed butter)
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp.)
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh basil (or substitute thyme)
- 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lb. green beans, stem ends trimmed off (optional: cut the beans into 2-inch pieces)
- ¼ tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Combine butter, garlic, and basil in small bowl; set aside.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add green beans, ¼ tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, about 6 minutes.
- Add water, cover, and cook until beans are bright green and still crisp, about 2 minutes.
- Remove cover, increase heat to high, and cook until water evaporates, about 60 seconds.
- Add butter mixture and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until beans are crisp-tender, lightly browned, and beginning to wrinkle, 2 to 2 ½ minutes longer.
- Transfer beans to serving bowl, toss with lemon juice and parsley; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with foil to keep warm until ready to serve.
P.S. Want to give you a heads up that I’ll be running a giveaway with T-Fal cookware beginning August 27! Stay tuned, and be sure to check out the other blogs running this giveaway as well!
peaches & cake 