Being a lover of all types of beans, I’d have to say the most elegant of them all is the Haricots Verts. These are the fancy French-style string beans you may see served alongside an extravagant entrée in a restaurant. Not any more! Haricots Verts are available in most grocery stores today.

Recipe for my Haricots Verts With Toasted Almonds pairs perfectly with chicken, fish, pork, or steak and is super delicious.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes
Yields: 2 to 4 servings
Equipment: 1 (3-quart) saucepot, spider, colander, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, large mixing bowl, large serving bowl, chef’s knife

Ingredients:
1 pound of Haricots Verts, trimmed
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 small shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup of slivered almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon of fresh dill, roughly chopped for garnish, optional

Directions:
Over medium heat add the slivered almonds in a single layer to a dry sauté pan. Heat them, stirring or tossing them frequently until they turn golden brown and start to smell around 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Start by washing the beans in a colander. Next, line the beans so all the stems are laying in the same direction, cutting off (the ugly end) the tops. After they’re all cleaned, place all the green beans in 3 quarts of boiling salted water to *blanch for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a pair of tongs or spider, transfer the beans immediately into an *ice bath. This will shock the beans, stopping the cooking process and set their vibrant green color.

When the beans no longer feel warm to touch, drain in a colander and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil, swirl to coat. Add sliced shallots and sliced garlic, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until shallots are translucent and tender.

Add the Haricot Verts, cook for another 5 minutes or until lightly charred, stirring occasionally. Add toasted slivered almonds, stir to combine.

Transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve hot. There you have it, my Sautéed Haricots Verts With Toasted Almonds.

*blanching/to blanch is the process that stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color, and texture. Further, it cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens the color, and helps prevent loss of vitamins.

*ice bath is a combination of water and ice. It’s used to quickly stop the cooking process, especially when blanching or parboiling ingredients.

https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/07/10/my-recipe-for-chicken-milanese/

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