Green Beans (s) Recipe

Trim and rinse

Rinse the green beans under cool running water and trim the stem ends. Discard any blemished beans. Aim for roughly 10 ounces of beans for a small side portion.

Blanch

Bring 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Add the trimmed green beans and cook uncovered until bright green and tender-crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes (test by piercing with a fork).

Shock

Immediately transfer the blanched beans to a bowl of ice water (or very cold water) to stop the cooking. Let sit 1 to 2 minutes, then drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil. When the butter has melted and the pan is hot (but not smoking), add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and sauté 20 to 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the drained green beans to the skillet. Toss to coat in the butter and garlic and sauté 2 to 3 minutes to warm and develop slight color.

Season the beans with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for a bit of heat), and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Toss to combine and taste; add a light pinch more salt if needed.

If using, sprinkle 1 tablespoon toasted sliced almonds over the beans and toss once to combine. Remove from heat and transfer to a small serving dish.