A mixture of fresh green beans (haricots verts, yellow wax beans, romano beans, or Blue Lake beans) makes this dish both beautiful and tasty. Each variety cooks in a different amount of time, so cook them separately. The same water can be used. Cook yellow wax beans first, to preserve their color. A variety of shell beans can be used as well, but once again, be sure to cook different beans separately.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Shell: 1 pound fresh shell beans (such as cranberry, cannellini, or flageolet)
Step 2
Cook the beans in lightly salted boiling water until creamy and tender. Start checking after 15 minutes. When they are done, let the beans cool in their cooking liquid.
Step 3
Meanwhile, snap off the stem ends, and pull off the tails if dry or tough, from: 3/4 pound green beans.
Step 4
Cut into 1-inch bite-size pieces. Cook until tender in salted boiling water, drain, and spread out on a baking sheet or plate to cool.
Step 5
Heat in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat: 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Step 6
Add: 1 onion, diced.
Step 7
Cook until translucent, about 10 minutes, then add: 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped, 2 teaspoons chopped savory, marjoram, or parsley, Salt, Fresh-ground black pepper.
Step 8
Cook for 4 minutes. Drain the shell beans, reserving their cooking liquid. Stir the shell beans and 3/4 cup of their liquid into the onions. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Stir in the green beans and return to a boil. Turn down the heat and cook for another minute or so to warm the beans through. Taste for salt and add more as needed. Serve with a drizzle of: Extra-virgin olive oil.
