One of the fundamental differences between Sara and me is that while she’s sadly lamenting her lack of a garden this summer, I’m just so super thankful I don’t have any plants in my garden to kill and then feel guilty about. I have the blackest of black thumbs. In fact, when I was a kid, I was genuinely worried that I wouldn’t be able to remember to feed and care for my future children because I was so very bad at keeping plants alive.
That said, I really do have a whole-hearted appreciation for garden-fresh produce. And probably my favorite thing is fresh green beans. Growing up, one of my best friends had the most amazing garden and we would eat green beans until we could eat no more. 3 meals a day.
One of my favorite ways to eat them is with this compound butter, made with reduced balsamic vinegar, garlic, and green onions. It’s simple and quick enough for a weeknight side dish, but it’s elegant enough to serve for guests.
You’ll need green beans, balsamic vinegar, butter, green onions, and garlic.
Chop the green onions, mince the garlic,
and combine the onions, garlic, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until most of the vinegar is reduced into a thick syrup and has been absorbed by the green onions.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, combine the vinegar/oninon mixture and the butter.
Set aside.
When the water begins to boil, add the green beans. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the beans float to the top and are bright green. Drain. Toss in the balsamic butter and serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Green Beans with Balsamic Butter
Recipe adapted from The Big Book of Backyard Cooking
Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup salted butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 green onions, chopped (the entire thing)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions:
Combine the onions, garlic, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until most of the vinegar is reduced into a thick syrup and has been absorbed by the green onions. Remove from heat and set aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is coming to a boil, combine the vinegar/oninon mixture and the butter. Set aside.
When the water begins to boil, add the green beans. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the beans float to the top and are bright green. Drain. Toss in the balsamic butter and serve immediately. Serves 8.
