Green Beans With Goat Cheese and Almonds
It may seem baffling to anyone under 30, but it used to be cutting-edge cookery to take perfectly perky green beans and simmer them to smithereens. Any sign of crispness was cooked out. They had the consistency of overripe bananas, the gray-green color of a battleship’s bottom.
Nouvelle cuisine, the cooking style so popular in the early ’70s, gave cooked green beans new taste, texture and appearance. Quick-cooked, al dente beans became commonplace from coast to coast. I like them cooked just enough so they’re tender, yet still a bright, fern-leaf color, with texture that is somewhere between rigid and relaxed. I know there are those who disagree, but to my palate, I’ve never gotten used to them blanched-sobriefly that they’re almost raw. If they crunch like celery, to my thinking they taste undercooked.
Team them with citrusy vinaigrette, coarsely chopped almonds and crumbled goat cheese for a tasty side dish or vegetarian main event. If serving this alongside the Gratin Dauphinois, you may opt to omit the cheese.
Yield: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 1⁄2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2garlic cloves, minced
1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1teaspoon grated orange zest plus 2teaspoons orange juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1⁄2 cup (2-3 ounces) chilled goat cheese, crumbled 1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped almonds, Marcona almonds preferred
PROCEDURE
1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on high heat. Add beans and cook until tender-crisp, about 7-8 minutes (cooking time will depend on size of beans and your texture preference). Drain. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
2: In large bowl, whisk together garlic, oil and orange zest. Whisk in orange juice, lemon juice, mustard and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt. Add beans and chives; toss. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to platter. Top with crumbled cheese and nuts. Serve hot or at room temperature.