Green Beans w/ Lemon, garlic and Parm cheese

By VickiC223

Ingredients

• Good tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 pounds green beans, stem ends trimmed
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 5 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/3 cup water
• Shredded zest of 2 large lemons (organic preferred; after all, you are eating the entire rind)
• 1 tight-packed cup Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from splendidtable.org

Preparation

Step 1

A mince of lemon zest, garlic and parsley, gremolata is the traditional final tease of Milan’s osso buco. That same mix brings a double impact to green beans. I used to first boil the beans, then reheat them with the gremolata, until Mediterranean food authority Paula Wolfert pointed out how silken beans become when they’re left to cook slowly in a skillet. Best of all, it’s one less pan to wash.

1. Lightly film the bottom of 2 straight-sided 12-inch sauté pans with oil. Heat them over medium-high heat. Add the beans and generous sprinklings of salt and pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes, or until the beans begin to brown. Add 1/2 cup of water to each pan and immediately cover it. Turn the heat to medium-low. Cook the beans for 15 to 20 minutes, checking them often for burning and adding a little water if necessary. You want the beans very tender.

2. As the beans cook, make the gremolata. Put the garlic and 1/3 cup water in a coffee mug and microwave 1 minute, or simmer in a small saucepan to 1 to 2 minutes (this mellows the garlic just a little). Then, in a food processor, mince together the garlic (with its liquid), lemon zest, and parsley. Salt and pepper the mixture to taste.

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