If you’re reading this I think I can safely assume you’ve survived the culinary festivities of last week in one, albeit larger, piece. Our delicious Thanksgiving bounty of turkey, butternut squash, risotto, broccoli, at least 3 different kinds of stuffing, numerous pies and desserts and probably a handful of other items that now escape me, was followed by two days of eating large quantities of Chinese food and cold leftover pie out of the refrigerator. Needless to say, it’s probably time to start eating the portions of a regular human, at least for the next couple of weeks until the next holiday launches me into a gluttonous frenzy.
In honor of this period of downtime between one holiday and another, I present to you these green beans. Having just celebrated Thanksgiving, you may be skeptical or even alarmed that these beans don’t contain a can of cream of mushroom soup OR fried onion topping. Do not worry. Despite containing only garlic, onion and a bit of milk, these are some flavorful and, dare I say, healthy green beans.
The concept here is really simple. The beans are quickly blanched and then sautéed briefly in a pan with garlic and onions, and then thickened with a bit of milk to create a slightly creamy sauce. I think two aspects of this preparation are kind of ingenious. First, the garlic is ground into a thick paste with some salt in a mortar and pestle which makes it incredibly sweet, flavorful and balanced when added to the dish. And the addition of milk adds a creaminess that is much healthier than what I think of as the obvious alternative, which is baking vegetables as a gratin with heavy cream and breadcrumb topping.
I discovered this preparation in Gran Cocina Latina, my giant, almost biblical authority on Latin American cooking, but there’s little about it that would suggest its origins if you had a taste. It would be a great addition to just about any meat dish – I’m specifically thinking steak but it’s definitely a versatile side. And I think the milky sauce makes it a bit wintry, as well. This has definitely become my go-to green bean preparation until December 24, when I forsake all things green and embark once more on the extremely ineffective but oh-so-delicious pie diet.
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1lb green beans, trimmed
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small white onion (about 5 ounces), finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 2 scallions, white and some green parts, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt, then add the beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to cool, then drain again and set aside.
- Crush the garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon salt to a paste with a mortar and pestle; set aside.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and scallions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the green beans and milk, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot.
Notes
From Gran Cocina Latina
