Name: Skillet-Steamed Haricots Verts
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces haricots verts , trimmed; ¼ cup water; ¼ teaspoon table salt; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces; 1 tablespoon minced shallot

Why This Recipe Works

Haricots verts are delicate in both flavor and texture, so they need to be treated with care. A 3-minute steam in a covered skillet, plus a couple tosses to ensure even cooking, was all that was required to bring out their brilliant jade color, crisp-tender texture, and sweet flavor. Finishing touches of minced shallot and a small amount of butter transformed this simple and speedy preparation into an elegant side dish.

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Before You Begin

We developed this recipe with beans that were about ¼ inch wide. If your haricots verts are skinnier, decrease the water to 3 tablespoons and decrease the covered cooking time to 2 minutes.

Instructions

Arrange haricots verts in even layer in 12-inch skillet. Add water and sprinkle evenly with salt. Cook over medium-high heat until water is sizzling. Cover and continue to cook until beans are bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes longer, tossing beans twice during cooking. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter and shallot and continue to cook, uncovered, tossing beans frequently, until water has evaporated, about 1 minute longer. Season with salt to taste, and serve.