# Garlic Green Beans Garlic green beans are bright, snappy and full of buttery garlic flavor. They are quick to make and look great next to nearly any main. A short blanch locks in the green color and the tender-crisp texture, and a quick sauté adds browning and flavor. - Total time: 20 min (prep 10 min, cook 10 min) - Serves: 4 - Per serving (estimated): 100 kcal, 3 g protein - Cuisine: American. Category: Side dish. Diet: vegetarian, gluten-free, low-calorie. ## Ingredients - 450 g green beans, trimmed - 2 tsp salt, for the blanching water - 2 tbsp butter - 1 tbsp olive oil - 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced - 1/4 tsp kosher salt - 1/4 tsp black pepper - 1 tbsp lemon juice - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes ## Method 1. Fill a large pot with water, add 2 tsp salt and bring to a rolling boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. 2. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until bright green and just tender with a slight snap. 3. Use tongs or a spider to move the beans into the ice water for 2 minutes. This stops the cooking and sets the color. 4. Drain and pat dry with a towel. Dry beans brown better in the pan. 5. Heat a large 30 cm (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. 6. When the butter foams, add the beans in a single layer and cook 3 minutes, stirring once, until they begin to blister. 7. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, kosher salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant and just golden. 8. Remove from the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice, toss, and taste for salt. ## Why it works - Blanching in well salted water seasons the beans from the inside and cooks them evenly. - The ice bath stops the cooking so the beans stay crisp and bright instead of turning olive. - Drying the beans before the pan lets them blister instead of steaming. - Adding the garlic last, over lower heat, keeps it sweet and golden instead of bitter. - Lemon juice at the end brightens the buttery flavor. ## The science - **Why beans stay green.** Heat briefly drives air out of the bean surface and brightens the chlorophyll. Long cooking releases acids that turn chlorophyll olive-brown. A short blanch and an ice bath keep the color vivid. The result is a brighter bean, so salt the blanching water and keep the boil short and lively. - **Shock to stop cooking.** Vegetables keep cooking from their own stored heat after you remove them. Ice water drops the temperature fast, which halts that carryover and keeps the beans crisp. Ice water is the cheapest way to hold that texture and color until you are ready to finish them. - **Garlic burns fast.** Sliced garlic has a lot of surface area and sugars that brown quickly. Over high heat it turns acrid in seconds, so add it near the end over medium heat and stir. Slicing it thin and adding it last gives sweet, nutty garlic flavor instead of bitterness. ## Tips - Trim only the stem ends; the little tail is fine to leave on. - Salt the blanching water until it tastes like mild seawater, about 2 tsp per 2 liters. - Use thin garlic slices rather than minced for sweeter flavor and less burning. ## Mistakes to avoid - Boiling the beans too long, which turns them gray-green and limp; pull them at 3 to 4 minutes. - Skipping the dry step, which makes the beans steam in the pan; pat them dry. - Burning the garlic by adding it too early; add it for the last minute. ## Variations and swaps - Finish with 30 g toasted sliced almonds for green beans almondine. - Add 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil instead of lemon. - Top with 30 g grated Parmesan and extra black pepper. - Swap butter for all olive oil to make this vegan. - Swap fresh green beans for haricots verts and blanch 2 minutes. - Swap lemon juice for 1 tsp white wine vinegar if you are out of lemon. ## Storage Refrigerate in a sealed container within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until hot. ## FAQ **How long do you cook green beans on the stove?** Blanch fresh green beans for 3 to 4 minutes, then sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. They are done when bright green and tender with a slight snap. **How do you keep green beans bright green?** Cook them briefly in boiling salted water, then chill them in ice water. This sets the color and stops them from overcooking. **Do I have to blanch green beans before sautéing?** No, but it gives more even, tender-crisp beans. Without blanching, sauté them 8 to 10 minutes over medium heat with a splash of water, covered for the first few minutes. **Can I use frozen green beans?** Yes. Skip the blanching and cook them straight from frozen in the skillet for 6 to 8 minutes. They will be softer than fresh beans. --- Source: https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/garlic-green-beans (Cooking Scientist). Learn the science of cooking in the Cooking Scientist app for iPhone and iPad: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6830326846