I love all kinds of beans; I’d have to say the most elegant is the Haricots Verts. These are the fancy French-style string beans you may see served alongside an extravagant entrée in a restaurant. Not anymore! You can find them in most grocery stores today.
The 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) saucepan, spider, colander, 1 (12-inch) sauté pan, large mixing bowl, large serving bowl, chef’s knife, cutting board
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 black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 cup of slivered almonds, toasted
Garnish:
1 tablespoon of fresh dill, roughly chopped, optional
Instructions:
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, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Start by washing the beans in a colander. Next, line the beans so the stems face the same direction, then cut off the ends. Place the green beans in 3 quarts of salted boiling water *blanch for 2-3 minutes. Using a pair of tongs or a spider, transfer the beans immediately into an *ice bath. This shocks the beans, stops the cooking, and sets their vibrant green color.
When the beans no longer feel warm to the touch, drain them in a colander, then dry thoroughly with paper towels.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and swirl to coat. Add sliced shallots and sliced garlic, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until shallots are translucent and tender.
Add the haricots verts and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until lightly charred. Add toasted slivered almonds and stir to combine.
Transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve hot.
There you have it, my Haricots Verts with Toasted Almonds.
Notes:
1) *blanching/to blanch is the process that stops enzyme action, which can cause loss of flavor, color, and texture. It also cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens color, and helps prevent vitamin loss.
2) * An ice bath is a combination of water and ice. It’s used to stop the cooking process quickly, especially when blanching or parboiling ingredients.
3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.
Haricots Verts With Toasted Almonds
Equipment
- 1 saucepan 3-quart
- 1 spider
- 1 colander
- 1 saute pan 12-inch
- 1 mixing bowl Large
- 1 serving bowl Large
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 pound Haricots Verts Trimmed
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 2 small shallots Peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic Thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly ground
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds Toasted
- Garnish:
- 1 tbsp fresh dill Roughly chopped, optional
Instructions
- 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, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.Start by washing the beans in a colander. Next, line the beans so the stems face the same direction, then cut off the ends. Place the green beans in 3 quarts of salted boiling water *blanch for 2-3 minutes. Using a pair of tongs or a spider, transfer the beans immediately into an *ice bath. This shocks the beans, stops the cooking, and sets their vibrant green color.When the beans no longer feel warm to the touch, drain them in a colander, then dry them thoroughly with paper towels.In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and swirl to coat. Add sliced shallots and sliced garlic, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until shallots are translucent and tender.Add the haricots verts and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until lightly charred. Add toasted slivered almonds and stir to combine.Transfer to a large serving bowl. Garnish with fresh dill. Serve hot.There you have it, my Haricots Verts with Toasted Almonds.
Notes
1) *blanching/to blanch is the process that stops enzyme action, which can cause loss of flavor, color, and texture. It also cleanses the surface of dirt and organisms, brightens color, and helps prevent vitamin loss.
2) * An ice bath is a combination of water and ice. It's used to stop the cooking process quickly, especially when blanching or parboiling ingredients.
3) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value matter to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and values can vary, depending on the brands you choose.https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/07/10/my-recipe-for-chicken-milanese/
https://lindalouhamel.com/2019/07/10/summer-time-flowers-and-herbs/
