I decided to add this as an alternate to the Brussels sprouts, given the number of people who are not a fan of them. The technique is classic, with the beans being blanched ahead and heated up later in their final flavorings. These days, this sort of twice-cooked vegetable is shunned by many nutritionists who say the vegetables are robbed of much of their nutrients. It is true to a certain degree, but for holiday meal, nutrition is of lesser importance.
Besides, it has as much to do with the length of the cooking time as the way they are cooked. I am from the school of thought that if you are going to boil a vegetable, you should do it like pasta- in a big pot of lots of salted water. I do not buy into the idea that the more water you use, the less vitamins you are left with; I believe that cooking them in a large amount of water–which cuts their cooking time in half–retains more nutrients than cooking them in very little water for twice as long. And the late Julia Child would have backed me up on this. So there.
Green Beans with an Indian Accent
1 1/2 pounds green beans, stems removed and cut in half (on an angle is nice)
1/2 cup walnut halves or slivered almonds
2 tablespoons butter or Ghee
3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in quarters
1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and pepper, to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a teaspoon of salt. Ad the green beans and cover, until it comes back to the boil. Cook the beans until they are tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and spread out on a flat surface to cool. The beans can now be stored in a container in the refrigerator until the final cooking.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the nuts and toss them around until they take on a tiny bit of color and start to smell toasty, remove from the pan and set aside. Add the butter to the pan along with the garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute, not allowing the garlic to brown. Add the turmeric and cook another minute. Add the beans and toss to coat with the butter and spices. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until they are heated through and tender. Toss in the nuts and season as needed with salt and pepper.
Serves 8 as part of a larger meal.
*
