Haricot Verts Amandine
April 5, 2018
HARICOTS VERTS
Haricots Verts are simply thin, French, green beans. If you can’t find Haricots Verts in your grocery store, you can use the thinnest green beans you can find. But, you could still call them Haricot Verts, and impress your Easter dinner guests with your cultural culinary vocabulary. Not that that’s something I would ever do. By using the thinner, French version of green beans, the dish is less “woody” and packed with more flavor in each bite.
A TRULY SUPER-FOOD
Haricot Verts are full of nutritional benefits! They’re a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, folic acid, and fiber. Aside from the many healthy side effects of consuming these vitamins and minerals, they contain a high amount of chlorophyll which may block carcinogenic effects of heterocyclic amines that are generated when grilling meats at a high temperature. The folate in green beans can also help with mental health, as the consumption of folate can prevent an excess of homocysteine. This can interfere with the production of feel-good hormones serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
HARICOTS VERTS AMANDINE
This recipe takes the flavors of springtime and nature and generates an indulgent experience for every connoisseur of food. The fusion of roasted chopped almonds, unsalted butter, kosher salt, olive oil, minced shallots, freshly cracked black pepper, and both lemon juice and zest generate a healthful, appetizing side to any entree. So go ahead and impress your guests with your side dish of Haricots Verts; delicious, French, and packed with essential vitamins. You’re welcome.
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Haricots Verts Almondine
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup almonds
- 1 1/2 pounds haricots verts (French string beans), root ends removed
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots, minced
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, toast the almonds over medium-high heat until golden brown and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the pan, finely chop and set aside.
Blanch the string beans in salted boiling water until crisp but tender, 2 to 3 minutes. The salt will impart flavor as well as help keep the string beans crisp. Immediately drain and run cold water over the beans or plunge into an ice bath to cool and stop the cooking process, then remove and completely dry.
Return the saute pan to the burner over medium heat and melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the shallots, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Toss the drained beans with the shallots and add the lemon zest and juice. Cook to heat the beans completely through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Toss with the toasted chopped almonds and transfer to a serving dish.