The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (112 page)

SERVES 4

An equal amount of chopped walnuts or pecans can be substituted for the almonds.

1.
Process bread in food processor to fine crumbs, 20 to 30 seconds (you should have about ¹⁄
₄
cup bread crumbs). Transfer bread crumbs to 10-inch nonstick skillet, add almonds, and toast over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Off heat, add garlic and parsley and toss with hot crumbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to small bowl, and set aside. (Do not wash skillet.)

2.
Heat beans and ¹⁄
₄
cup water in 12-inch skillet over high heat and cook, tossing frequently with tongs, until beans are warmed through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to platter.

3.
Melt butter in now-empty 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add bread-crumb mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Top beans with buttered crumb-almond mixture and serve immediately.

SERVES 4

To skin toasted hazelnuts, rub the warm nuts in a clean kitchen towel—the skins should rub right off.

1.
Heat butter in small saucepan over medium heat and cook, swirling frequently, until butter turns deep chocolate brown and becomes fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes. Add hazelnuts and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and combined, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2.
Heat beans and ¹⁄
₄
cup water in 12-inch skillet over high heat and cook, tossing frequently, until beans are warmed through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to platter. Top beans with toasted hazelnuts and brown butter and serve immediately.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For tender, lightly browned, fresh-tasting beans using just one pan, we turned to sautéing. But simply sautéing raw beans in oil resulted in blackened exteriors and undercooked interiors. Cooking the beans in water in a covered pan, then removing the lid to evaporate the liquid and brown the beans was better, but not foolproof. For the best results, we sautéed the beans until spotty brown, then added water to the pan and covered it so the beans could cook through. Once the beans were soft, we lifted the lid to vaporize whatever water remained in the pan and promote additional browning. A little softened butter (or olive oil, in the case of a few variations) added to the pan at this stage lent richness and promoted even more browning. A few additional ingredients, such as garlic and herbs, added flavor without overcomplicating our recipe.

SERVES 4

This recipe yields crisp-tender beans. If you prefer a slightly more tender texture (or you are using large, tough beans), increase the water by 1 tablespoon and increase the covered cooking time by 1 minute.

1.
Combine butter, garlic, and thyme in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add beans, ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, and ¹⁄
₈
teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add ¹⁄
₄
cup water, cover, and cook until beans are bright green and still crisp, about 2 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook until water evaporates, 30 to 60 seconds.

2.
Add butter mixture to skillet and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until beans are crisp-tender, lightly browned, and beginning to wrinkle, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer beans to serving bowl and toss with parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Do not use more than the specified amount of smoked paprika or it will overpower the beans.

Omit thyme and parsley. Stir ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon smoked paprika into softened butter with garlic. Sprinkle cooked beans with ¹⁄
₄
cup toasted slivered almonds before serving.

Substitute 2 scallions, sliced thin, and ¹⁄
₂
teaspoon grated lime zest for the garlic and thyme. Toss beans with 1¹⁄
₂
teaspoons lime juice and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon before serving.

Combine 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1 tablespoon Asian chili-garlic sauce in small bowl. Substitute vegetable oil for olive oil, increasing amount to 2 teaspoons. Cook green beans as directed, replacing butter mixture with sesame oil mixture and omitting lemon juice and parsley. Sprinkle cooked beans with 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds before serving.

Combine 2 teaspoons olive oil, 1 minced shallot, and ¹⁄
₈
teaspoon red pepper flakes in small bowl. Replace butter mixture with oil-shallot mixture. Add ¹⁄
₃
cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into ¹⁄
₂
-inch pieces, to skillet with oil-shallot mixture. Substitute 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar for lemon juice and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil for parsley.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Braising green beans is a slower method than sautéing or steaming them, but the upside is that you can simultaneously cook and flavor the beans, and it is a great method for cooking older, tougher beans. We used tomatoes or cream as the braising liquid for our green beans. The beans lost some color no matter what we tried, but they picked up wonderful flavors from the braising medium. We found that the beans needed 15 to 20 minutes in the liquid to pick up enough flavor to make the method worthwhile; any longer and the color and texture of the beans suffered.

SERVES 4 TO 6

This recipe takes the flavors of the tired green bean casserole and gives them a new lift.

1.
Heat butter and oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to paper towel–lined plate; set aside.

2.
Combine green beans, mushrooms, cream, lemon juice, and thyme in now-empty pan and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

3.
Uncover and, if sauce is too thin, simmer briskly to thicken cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with fried shallots, and serve immediately.

SERVES 4 TO 6

This recipe uses a simple tomato sauce flavored with onions and garlic as the braising medium. You can substitute basil for the parsley if desired.

1.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and simmer until juices thicken slightly, about 5 minutes.

2.
Add green beans and ¹⁄
₄
teaspoon salt, stir well, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For no-fuss green beans packed with flavor, we built a sauce with aromatics and flour for thickening power, then we added the beans, and finally chicken broth. We covered the skillet and cooked the beans until almost tender, then removed the lid to finish them through and thicken the sauce to the perfect consistency. In variations, we gussied the beans up further with glazed nuts or seasoned bread crumbs.

SERVES 8

These green beans will add pizzazz to Thanksgiving dinner.

1.
Toast pecans in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1 tablespoon butter, maple syrup, and ¹⁄
₈
teaspoon salt. Return skillet to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until nuts are dry and glossy, about 45 seconds; transfer to plate and set aside.

2.
Wipe out skillet. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, orange zest, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour until combined, then add green beans. Add chicken broth, orange juice, and sage. Increase heat to medium-high, cover, and cook until beans are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and sauce has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Off heat, season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.