One of the first recipes I altered to make my own is this delish side dish. Growing up, I loved when my mom would saute onions with green beans in a pool of butter. I guess it makes sense – there aren’t many foods that are not improved by adding butter. Just ask Paula Deen. As my palate evolved and confidence in the kitchen increased, like my age, I found myself experimenting more and more. The first recipes to suffer my creativity were old family favorites, inspiration usually striking while shopping at the grocery store. A few years back as I wandered the aisles at my local Cub Foods, fresh green beans caught my attention and I instantly knew I wanted to recreate my mom’s sauteed beans and onions. Never content to leave well enough alone, I thought I could add some other ingredients to elevate the flavors of this simple side. But what? Perhaps I was in a Chinese Buffet state of mind because I saw some garlic bulbs and an idea formed. If I sauteed some garlic in a mixture of butter and extra virgin olive oil before adding the green beans and onions, I bet that would end up quite tasty. OOH! And some soy sauce. And a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. I think I began understanding umami before the term entered our collective consciousness. As I pieced together this creation, a promising aroma filled the house. The resulting side dish proved dang tasty, if I do say so myself. So much so, in fact, that when I hosted my first Thanksgiving dinner for the family, I served these amped up green beans instead of our traditional canned fare. The bonus, at least for me, was that the family liked them – they really liked them – thus earning the remixed recipe a regular rotation as a side dish. (They pair great with marinated pork chops/loin!) Prep time: 5 to 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes Servings: 6 Ingredients
Equipment
In the large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, long enough to infuse the butter-oil mixture with flavor but not long enough to burn. Add the red pepper flakes and soy sauce, then stir to combine. After another minute, add the green beans, stir to coat with all the flavorful goodness mingling in the pan, and sauté them almost to your desired level of doneness, 8 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. I prefer my green beans with a little crunch, so I tend to fall on the shorter end of cooking time. < Back to Blog Posts
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