Green Bean Saute

This my favorite recipe for a quick delicious recipe because it offers opportunities for infinite creativity. Forget about green beans swimming in flavorless liquid of unknown origin. This recipe creates a delicious side dish or if I'm feeling incredibly lazy, a tasty entree. For the purist using the term saute here is slightly misleading but what the hey. It's more like a saute/steam. It's a staute.

Ingredient list:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 C slivered almonds (toasted or raw)--optional
3 cloves of garlic (chopped fine)
1/2 yellow onion sliced fine
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp seasoned salt
2 C frozen or fresh green beans. (Under no circumstances are you to use canned green beans.)
If using fresh green beans use a 1/4 C water or chicken broth.

Place a skillet or saute pan on low to medium heat. Add oil. To the oil add the almonds, garlic and onions. Please be careful to avoid burning the garlic. cook until onions start to become translucent. I like using frozen long green beans, preferably Birds Eye, because as they thaw in the heated pan they steam very nicely.

Add the green beans and stir to ensure that they are coated thoroughly with the almond and seasoning mixture. Add a lid and allow the beans to steam. Stir occasionally to ensure all beans are seasoned thoroughly. When done, the beans should be tender but not mushy.

I like this recipe because you can use any fat you want. I prefer Olive Oil but if you've got butter or margarine in the fridge that works just as well. Be careful not to burn your butter. Also if you are not a fan of almonds, you can add whatever nut you like. I've only tried almonds but my friend doesn't like almonds( I know, blasphemy!!!!) so she tried pecans and she assures me that it was "the bomb" in a good way.

Prep Time: 5 min
Cooking time:10 to 15 min

Recipe courtesy of Demetria Dixon ©2006