MUSTARDY GREEN BEANS WITH ANCHOVIED WALNUTS
SERVES 4-6
When it comes to this recipe, it doesn’t really matter how you cook the green beans. The key is to have just-cooked green beans, lightly dressed and topped in a tangy, mustardy dressing, with toasted, garlicky, anchovied walnuts. The most interesting way to cook the beans in my opinion is grilling, because you can do it hot and fast so they get nicely charred without overcooking – but unless you have fat green beans or a grill with small grates, it can be heartbreaking (and annoying) to watch them slip through and fall into the coals. That said, roasting is great, especially when cooking for a crowd, because you can roast a lot at a time in only a few minutes (just make sure not to crowd the baking tray). That also said, I mean, if you want to just sauté them, you can do that, too!
1 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove, finely grated
750g green beans, trimmed
1 lemon, thinly sliced, seeds removed coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar or white wine vinegar 3 tablespoons finely chopped dill
Preheat the oven to 230°C or heat a barbecue grill to medium-high.
Heat the walnuts and half the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the walnuts are toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the anchovies and garlic, swirling to dissolve the anchovy; set aside.
Place the beans and lemon slices on a baking tray. Drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat, and season with salt and pepper. Roast (or grill), tossing once or twice, until the beans and lemon start to char and brown in spots, 12-15 minutes (or 8-10 minutes if grilling).
Combine the mustard, vinegar and remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the bean mixture and toss to coat. Transfer to a serving platter and top with the walnut mixture and dill.
DO AHEAD Beans can be cooked and dressed a few hours ahead, stored loosely covered at room temperature.