Green Beans Almondine

1 lb (16 oz) French green beans haricot verts, trimmed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (subst olive oil)
¼ heaping cup raw sliced almonds
2 medium shallots finely diced
2 medium garlic cloves finely minced
zest of one small lemon
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water liberally with
kosher salt (it should be very salty to taste). Salting the cooking
water aggressively accomplishes two tasks: it ensures that the green
beans will be seasoned properly inside and out, and also helps them
retain their bright green color after cooking.

Blanch the green beans for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or
until they are crisp-tender and slightly squeaky between your teeth.
It is important that the green beans be slightly undercooked as they
will be transferred directly to the skillet and will continue cooking
during this time.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat
until lightly bubbling. Add the sliced almonds and sauté, stirring
frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are starting to turn
golden brown. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped shallots and
garlic. Sauté for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently,
until fragrant and lightly caramelized.

Using a large slotted spoon, tongs, or kitchen spider, transfer the
blanched green beans from the boiling water directly to the skillet.
Sauté briefly, gently tossing the green beans with the almond mixture
until evenly combined and the green beans are tender. Add the lemon
zest and lemon juice, toss once again, and season to taste with salt
and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.



Notes:

Use French green beans (haricot vert); they are more tender, slimmer,
and have better flavor than standard green beans. They also come
pre-trimmed, which reduces prep time.

Sautéing the sliced almonds in the butter, as opposed to dry in the
skillet, not only adds flavor, but prevents the almonds from toasting
too quickly.

I prefer to finely dice the shallot, as opposed to thinly slicing it.
This not only reduces sauté time, but also helps distributes their
flavor better in the final dish.

For this recipe, we’ll be par-cooking the green beans in boiling
water. It is very important to heavily salt the cooking water. Do not
skip this step. Heavily salting the water ensures that the green beans
will be seasoned inside and out, and helps the green beans retain
their bright green color.

Cook the green beans in the boiling water until they are crisp-tender
and squeak a bit between your teeth. They should be al dente. If you
cook them beyond this point, they can break down in the skillet and
become over-cooked. Always err on the side of under-cooking them.