Try this Garlic Parmesan Green Beans recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 8.11700274529042 g
- Cholesterol 0.687500000876007 mg
- Fat 2.7783433362848 g
- Fiber 3.85553525314485 g
- Protein 2.36431403388286 g
- Saturated Fat 0.498628566722225 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (117g)
- Sodium 18.7975730652206 mg
- Sugar 4.26146749214557 g
- Trans Fat 0.11327699026753 g
- Calories 60 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring medium pot with water to boil, add green beans and cook for 4-5 minutes or until they are al dente.
- Shock with cold water with ice to stop cooking and retain the colour.
- Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil, add garlic and sauté until golden.
- Mash garlic with a masher (I reserved half of the garlic for decoration purposes).
- Add green beans, parsley, hot pepper flakes, parmesan cheese and salt.
- Stir to combine.
- Serve warm, with extra parmesan cheese on top if desired.
Why do green beans lose their vibrant emerald hue and turn an unappealing olive-drab the moment they hit heat? Chlorophyll molecules possess a central magnesium atom that easily displaces when exposed to plant acids released during cellular wall breakdown, shifting the pigment into pheophytin. Plunging blanched pods into an ice bath chilled below 40 degrees Fahrenheit halts residual thermal cooking instantly while locking in bright color. Fresh produce retains cellular turgor pressure that canned and frozen alternatives forfeit entirely, yielding a crisp snap rather than a mushy texture. When selecting fresh pods at the market, look for specimens that bend slightly before fracturing cleanly with a sharp crack.
The Fresh Advantage
Freshly harvested vegetables contain natural sugars and moisture gradients that concentrated preservation methods destroy. Slicing ten cloves of fresh garlic rather than mincing them prevents the allium compounds from releasing too much harsh pungency into the olive oil before the cloves caramelize properly. Mashing half of the warm sautéed garlic directly into the oil creates an aromatic base layer, while reserving the remaining slices provides textural contrast against the tender pods.Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Overcrowding the skillet is the primary error that turns a quick sauté into a steaming session, releasing excess water and preventing proper browning. Maintain medium heat so the extra virgin olive oil warms steadily without scorching the delicate sugars in the grated parmesan cheese added at the finish.
