Green Beans Almondine
Green Beans Almondine (aka Amandine) is a dish my mother would make when she was feeling adventurous, and she was good at it. The recipe has a secret, which is easy to master: heat the butter just to the point that it is starting to brown and smell nutty, which is also the point that the almond pieces reach a perfect golden brown. A flavorful accompaniment to steak or your Thanksgiving turkey. Makes 4 servings.
Ingredients:
1 lb green beans, cut to your liking or whole with the ends snipped off
2 T butter, unsalted preferred
¼ c sliced or slivered almonds
Salt to taste, approx ¾ t
Black pepper to taste, approx ¼ t
Method: plunge the beans into a good amount of boiling water, and blanch no more than a minute till they are bright green, slightly cooked and crunchy. Drain and pour over cold water to stop the cooking. Melt butter in a medium sauté pan and add almonds; cook stirring constantly till butter is browned but not burned and the almonds are nicely toasted. Add green beans and toss to reheat and distribute the butter and almonds. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot.
