Crisp green beans pair nicely with miso butter, persimmons
Sweet slender green beans (aka haricot verts) are the foundation of this easy holiday vegetable dish. Don’t worry if you can’t find haricot verts; just look for fresh green beans that are not too thick.
I have made my share of green bean dishes, from cold green bean salads to green beans with caramelized lemon or onions.
With this recipe, you have a few ingredients that can partially be made ahead.
The ingredients
Green beans: I like to blanch green beans in boiling water to remove the raw taste and finish them in a hot pan just before serving. You can cook the green beans up to six hours ahead of time and keep them refrigerated in paper towels until needed. Bring them to room temperature first.
Miso butter: Miso butter is a compound butter of white or yellow miso paste and unsalted butter. It adds a unique, rich, umami flavor to the green beans. The miso is salty, so you won’t need more salt.
Fuyu persimmons: Iamabig fan of fuyu persimmons, the small squat variety that becomes sweet and slightly crisp as it ripens. They are only around for a few months, so I like to use them in seasonal recipes.
Make sure to remove the center where the pit is. I peel and cut around the pit, then thinly slice the persimmon. This seems to be the easiest way to work with them. Persimmons add an appealing pop of orange color and a hint of faint sweetness.
This is a lovely side dish for the season. And you can double or triple it if you are having a crowd. Serve with simple grilled or roasted meat or poultry.