It’s hard to not take advantage of the wonderful season vegetables that are in full swing right now. The tomatoes are as red as ever, the zucchini are as green as ever and the green beans are as tender and snappy as ever.
I love it.
So after heading to the Amish farmer’s market last week I was so excited to use my giant bag of green beans and my $1.00 bunch of basil that was bigger than hasta.
Combing the two was an easy decision.
Tip: Cook green beans for less than 7 minutes to prevent them from turning that nasty greyish brown green. When they are cooked for less than 7 minutes, they hold their color. Then as soon as they are done, throw them into ice cold water to stop them from cooking longer. Drizzle with a little bit of oil before dressing them to make sure the color will stay.
Balsamic + Parmesan Fresh Green Beans
adapted from Simply Recipes
- 1 1/2 pounds trimmed green beans,
- 1/2 cup finely chopped or diced onion
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper and salt
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
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Add the green beans to the water and blanch(flash cook) for about 3-4 minutes or , until the beans are just barely cooked through, but still crisp.
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While the beans cook, place a strainer in the sink.
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When the beans are done, drain the hot water carefully and rinse with cold water until the beans are cold to touch.
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In a small dish, combine vinegar, oil, onion and cheese.
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Drizzle over the beans and sprinkle with extra cheese and the basil.
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Add salt and pepper and serve!
