Blistered Green Beans
Green beans are one of the workhorses of the vegetable group. They aren’t fancy and they probably won’t achieve the “trendiness” of kale but they get the job done, providing good nutrition in a tasty package that can be served simply, with a little salt and pepper, or dressed up. In order to retain nutrients you don’t want to cook vegetables too long or their precious vitamins and minerals “leach” out. I’m from the South and remember pots of green beans sitting on the stove for hours so that by the time we ate them they were a greenish-brown rather than a bright vibrant green!
In this recipe the green beans are cooked at a rather high heat but only for a short period of time. The high heat helps “blister” the beans which adds a smoky flavor. A splash of lemon juice and pinch of lemon zest after cooking helps enhance the bright flavor.
1 lb fresh green beans, washed and trimmed (or can use 1 bag frozen green beans)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 Tsp chopped toasted walnuts
Heat a non-stick or cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add olive oil. When hot add the minced garlic and green beans. Allow to cook for 3 minutes without stirring. Toss green beans and allow to cook for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Top with lemon zest and chopped walnuts before serving.