Recipes

A perfect side dish. Fresh green beans in a zesty lemon sauce.

To blanch the green beans begin by preparing a large pot of salted boiling water (the water should taste like sea water) and an ice bath. Trim the stems on the green beans.  Working in small batches place the green beans in the boiling water.  The water should not fall below boiling at any point.  Leave the pot uncovered and let the beans cook until they are tender but still firm (remember, every bean will be different so taste as you go and pull them when they are done to your liking!).  Place the cooked beans in the ice bath, moving them around to make sure they cool quickly.  When they are cooled through place them in a paper towel or in a colander to drain.  Leaving them in the ice bath will leave them soggy.  Repeat until all the beans are cooked.

To finish the dish, place the stock in a large frying pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the stock by half and add the green beans.  Move the beans around in the warm stock until they are heated through and the stock has reduced to a thick glaze, leaving the beans shiny and vibrant.  Place the beans on a serving dish and drizzle them with olive oil.  Sprinkle them with the zest of the lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired.