A Sea of Green

I am a little overwhelmed by my quirky kitchen garden. We’ve had loads of rain this summer and the kale, cucumbers and green beans are taking over. I’m thinking a more colorful variety of vegetables might be in order next spring!

Over the last month, I’ve gone a little kale crazy – sautéing it with garlic and red wine vinegar, making Shrimp Curry with Greens and, of course, the wonderful KilKenney Kale Salad. People are beginning to walk the other way when they see me.

So this week, I figured it was time for the beautiful beans. This Chinese Green Beans recipe is a winner. Savory, spicy and full of flavor, they make a terrific side dish for everything from burgers on the grill to your favorite stir fry.

As the green begins to fade and the summer comes to a close, I invite you to tune in next Friday for a terrific Barbecued Pork recipe. It’s perfect for the Labor Day weekend and back to school. I’ll also introduce you to my new obsession – the Instant Pot (no worries your slow cooker will work beautifully for this recipe too).

As always, I’d love to hear about your recipe favorites and ideas too.

Chinese Green Beans

These spicy, savory beans are an easy, delicious version of those lovely Szechwan green beans from our local Chinese restaurant. I think your whole family will enjoy these fantastic vegetables. (Adapted from an Epicurious recipe)

Servings people

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Ingredients

1 pound fresh green beans
1 tablespoon grape seed oil or other light vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic
1 small knob fresh ginger chopped
1 large shallot or small onion
1/2 teaspoon Asian chili sauce or Sriracha
2 teaspoons Liquid aminos or soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch kosher salt
1 pinch ground black pepper

Instructions

Wash and trim the green beans. Cut into 2" lengths
Peel and chop the garlic
Use a spoon to peel the ginger - I love this kitchen trick. It makes quick work of a piece of ginger. Throw the leftover knob into the freezer for later use.
Slice and chop the ginger
Peel and thinly slice the shallot
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or wok
Add the drained, cut beans to the pan
Sauté the beans until they begin to brown and shrivel. It will take a good 8 to 10 minutes
Remove the beans from the pan and set aside. Add the chopped ginger, shallots and garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant - about 1 minute
Add the Asian chili paste. I usually hit up my favorite Asian market and buy the inexpensive and delicious Sambal Chile Garlic Sauce. You can also use Sriracha or even red pepper flakes
Stir the sauce for a minute or so to combine the flavors and add the green beans back to the pan
Add the Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce) and sugar and cook for about 5 minutes or until the flavors meld well.
Add the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings and heat to your liking.
Serve and enjoy! We love to eat them with grilled chicken, pork or steak.