Long Beans with Creamy Sesame Sauce
July 26, 2024
In this Recipe
Ingredients
Kosher Saltto taste
Green Beans1 1/2 pounds, or Romano beans (ends trimmed if you feel like it)
Tahini1/4 cup
Lemon Zest1 tsp, freshly grated
Lemon Juice3 tbsp, fresh
White Miso2 tbsp
Olive Oil2 tbsp, extra-virgin
Honey1 tsp, runny
Ginger1 tsp peeled, finely grated
Toasted Sesame Oil1 tsp
Water2 to 3 tbsp
Cilantro1/2 cup, coarsely chopped
Black Pepperfreshly ground
Steps
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and throw in two large handfuls of salt (about 1/2 cup). You want the water to be overly salty because this is truly the only chance for the beans to get seasoned deeply.
- While the water comes to a boil, fill a large bowl with ice and add enough water so that the green beans will be submerged. Set the bowl close to the pot of boiling water.
- Drop the beans into the boiling water and cook until they are bright green and tender, 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how thick your beans are. I prefer them on the soft side but not limp. If you like them still a tad crunchy, cook for only 4 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the green beans to the ice bath and let them chill out for 10 seconds, which will stop them from continuing to cook and turning to mush.
- Drain the beans and lay them out on a clean kitchen towel. You want to get them as dry as possible, so they don't carry water that dilutes the dressing.
- In a small bowl, whisk the tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, miso, olive oil, honey, ginger, sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons of the water until spoon. If the sauce is stiff, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of water to loosen. Taste for salt; you may need to add just a pinch.
- Spoon some of the sauce on a platter. Place the beans onto the sauce and top with more. Scatter the cilantro over, finish with pepper, and serve.
- A Note from Andy: In the height of summer, you'll find me picking through the overflowing bean pile at the market. From the svelte haricots verts, which I rarely cook, as they are near perfect raw, to the reliable green beans, which deserve a kiss of smoke, either blistered in a hot pan or charred on the grill until their once-snappy texture disappears. The wider flatter Romano or pole beans are sturdier and beg to be braised until they're nearly falling apart. I always grab a few of each variety whenever I find them. Here, the beans are simply boiled in what may seem like overly salted water. But trust me, they are only in this salty bath for a few minutes, which will deeply season them and bring out the vibrant green color we're after. Drag them through the creamy sesame sauce- which can be paired with nearly any vegetable: broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, steamed greens, or frozen spinach you forgot in the freezer until just now- and you'll experienced them in an entirely new light.
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