Much More Than Green Beans

Fresh haricots verts with roasted vegetables

They look similar, but haricots verts are longer and thinner than American green beans, and they’re not just juvenile green beans. They’re more tender, and have a stronger, more developed, and robust bean flavor that many people just love. You see these slender beans served more often around holiday celebration tables.

However, nothing differs from American green beans in terms of preparation: Just wash and trim the ends (if preferred, but not necessary), then roast or steam them. By themselves, haricots verts deliver an impressive side dish with minimal need to dress up.

Fresh Haricots Verts with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp butter or olive oil

8 green onions, sliced thin

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound thin French green beans (Haricots Verts), ends trimmed off

10 cherry/grape tomatoes

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

3 Tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine

2 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped fine

2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped fine

1 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest

Olive oil

¼ cup pine nuts

Freshly grated sea salt and black pepper

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a large frying pan, melt the butter/olive oil. Add the sliced green onions and garlic and sauté on medium-low heat. Watch them carefully—if the garlic turns brown, it has burned. Remove from heat as soon as a hint of golden comes to the garlic. (You will re-warm this just before adding the beans)
• Meanwhile, coat a baking sheet with olive oil and scatter the green beans, chopped peppers, and tomatoes on the baking sheet and roll them around to coat them well.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the vegetables.
• Place the baking pan with the veggies on a middle rack and roast for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so that all sides of the vegetables are roasted. Keep a good eye on these during the last 5 minutes.
• Immediately transfer the roasted peppers/beans/tomato mixture to the frying pan and coat completely with the warm garlic and onion mixture.
• Add the herbs and lemon zest.
• Gently mix everything so that the beans are coated with the herbs, zest, garlic, and onion. Transfer everything to a platter.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately.