#string beans

STRING BEANS WITH GINGER AND GARLIC
Adapted from the New York Times

Growing up in my parent’s house, my dad regularly made garlic green beans with almonds. I still think they are the perfect side dish – but only when he makes them. Somehow, whether it’s the actual taste or just my imagination, my recreation of the dish isn’t nearly as good as when he makes it. So instead of copying his masterpiece, I’ve created my own green bean recipe that’s also delicious and easy to make. It takes only a few minutes to prepare, and you can split the work into two parts if you’re short on time (boil the green beans ahead of time, and cook in pan when you’re ready to eat them).

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 2½ pounds string beans, trimmed
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 medium-size garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup minced fresh ginger, about 6 inches ginger root (I freeze my ginger root whole and just grate off the portion I need. You can take the ginger straight from the freezer and do this – no need to let it cool to room temperature or even peel it)

Directions:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil
• Cook green beans in boiling water until tender, though be careful not to overcook them as they will cook more in the pan.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a wide skillet over high heat.
• Add beans, ginger, and garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish.