~ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." ~ "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" ~ "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." ~ "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."~

Friday, January 14, 2011

Caramelized Green Beans with Garlic...another new favorite!



Caramelized Green Beans with Garlic...another new favorite:). When I came across this recipe on Saveur, I stopped for a bit. The title caught my attention. Caramelized green beans? I had never heard of caramelized green beans before. Now, I have had caramelized onions, but green beans? I kept reading. Ingredients were simple...fresh green beans with lots of butter. The directions were simple... slow cook the green beans in butter until they are caramelized. I knew I wanted to make them...why, it sounded quite delicious! But I knew I didn't want to use all the butter the recipe called for. So I adapted it to my taste, and found the green beans to be absolutely delicious. I can only imagine how great they would be if I had used ALL the butter:). While the green beans were slowly cooking, I thought of adding some garlic to really flavor them up. It was a great addition as it brought a ton of flavor. The garlic also got a bit caramelized and wasn't too pungent. If you want your garlic to be stronger in taste, stir it in at the last minute and don't cook it for too long. Personally, I like the garlic to get caramelized a bit as well. It just complements the green beans without being too overpowering. But it really is up to you how you cook it.... At the last minute, I also sprinkled a few chile flakes...for some spice as well as color. Loved this dish and will be making it again. It's actually a great side dish that can be slowly cooked while you get the rest of the meal prepared. The caramelized green beans are well worth making... just because they taste so good:) and well,... they're just really good green beans. Hope you enjoy...

You will need: inspired by Saveur

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed (I used the thin kind)
2 TBS butter*
2 TBS olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, cut in strips, minced or sliced
chile flakes, optional
* feel free to add a couple more tablespoons of butter, if you like

Directions:
1.
Wash green beans. Trim and pat them dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
2.
Melt butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add beans.
3. Cook beans, turning often with tongs, until they start to caramelize. This should take about 45 minutes. Yes, 45 minutes...During the last couple of minutes or so, add the garlic and chile flakes. Taste and season, if necessary, with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer the beans to a serving platter, and serve immediately.

13 comments:

Pushpa said...

Love green beans and garlic,carmelizing them makes it even more yummy.

Speranta said...

O,noua reteta de care ma bucur...
Arata excelent ,si gustul cred ca este bun.Am sa incerc reteta ...

Ellie said...

Thanks for stopping by,Pushpa. I,too, like green beans and garlic, but slow cooking them sure brings them to a new level! Delicious...

Speranta, Chiar sper sa iti placa si tie:)...multumesc pentru vizita.~Ellie

Renata said...

I make this dish frequently and my family loves it. I use only olive oil. I also saute an onion with the beans and add some dill for extra flavor. Never thought of adding red pepper flakes though, I will have to try that, too.

Jenny said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog. I appreciate the encouragement! I love your blog and all your wonderful recipes. These green beans look yummy! I have posted my first recipe on my blog and am working on my second! Take a gander, you may like it. If you do try any, please let me know what you think!
Salut,
Magda

Ellie said...

Renata,
What a wonderful variation... the onion and dill remind me of a Romanian dish we used to eat while growing up. Thanks for stopping by...

Ellie said...

Magda, Thank you for your kind comment! It means a great deal...love your recipes:). ~Ellie

caroline said...

We tried these tonight, and they were DELISH!!I did put 1 extra tablespoon of butter in. My whole family loved them, THANKS!

caroline Cleaver said...

I posted this recipe to my blog today too! http://www.waybackwhenwoman.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I've been carmelizing green beans for years! I love it! I also carmelize zucchini and yellow squash and red peppers and cabbage. You can do them separate, or all together. Basil makes a terrific seasoning for them!

Unknown said...

I add a tsp of soy sauce when I make green beans :) mmm You should try this too!!

Ellie said...

Caroline, So glad you liked it, too! Thanks for the feedback. I am quite sure it tasted even better with the extra butter:)...

Anon, Thanks for the tip on caramelizing other veggies....sounds delicious even mixing them up. What a great idea!

Rhiannon. Yum! the soy sauce reminds me of a dish we used to order at a Chinese restaurant....the only thing was that the green beans were more crunchy rather than caramelized...
But I like your addition of the soy sauce...thanks for sharing.


I somehow feel I have lost out all these years...as most of you already know of this dish:)....where was I?
Thanks for sharing...~Ellie

Ellie said...

Badmommajamma, Thanks for stopping by. I've never thought of adding some adobo sauce...what a unique twist! And using frozen green beans... that would make it simpler.
Thanks for sharing that tip......~Ellie