This recipe is a favorite of mine, Not just because it is so simple to prepare, but because it is so simple to prepare AND it has such a nice and unique flavor. Green beans have been getting a bad rap for quite a while now, and I have to say, that bad reputation has been well deserved by those mushy green things that came sliding out of a can on to many peoples’ plates through the years. Well, these green beans are far from mushy and they will delight you!
Now remember, this recipe is from our recipe book: Wedding Week at The Lark Inn” and we were preparing meals for masses of people. This recipe will serve 15. For something more for your family simply divide the quantities by 3.
OK no that’s out of the way, let’s get started!
Shopping List:
3 lbs. of Crisp, Fresh Green Beans
4 Cloves of Garlic
Wash the beans and snap them into sections about 1 to 1/12 inches long.
Hint: Snapping green beans means that you bend them until they break (do I have to explain everything?!). If they only bend, they are too ripe.
Dice up four cloves of garlic (you could substitute 2 teaspoons of minced garlic)
Drizzle olive oil in your large skillet (or possibly two depending on the size of your skillets) Heat the skillet up on medium/high heat.
When the skillet is warm, throw in the green beans along with the garlic and drizzle with a bit more olive oil.
Turn the beans frequently to avoid burning and cook until just al dente
Tip: For my friends from the south Al Dente is not short for Albert Dente. This means that you don’t cook the bean until they is mushy. You only cook them until they are just tender enough to stick a fork in them . . . (I have to say it) as in “Stick me with a fork, I’m done!”
When finished, remove from the skillet and serve
Serving:
We serve everything family style with each item in a bowl or platter of it’s own which requires those at the table to work together so that everything is passed in the same direction. I have faith in you control freaks out there . . . you can work through this!
Wine:
With the light pork meat and veggies, you will want a fairly light wine; for my palette, either a nice Chardonnay or Pinot Noir will work great.
ENJOY!
Thank you for reading!
Kris
For more information about our scheduled cooking classes or customizing a cooking class of your own, please visit my web site at www.TheLarkInn.com
Kris Larkin 