Sautéed Green Beans with Tarragon and Lime
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 15, 2008
Time
35 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
This recipe yields crisp-tender beans. If you prefer a slightly more tender texture (or you are using large tough beans), increase the water by a tablespoon and cook, covered, an extra minute. To serve 6, increase all the ingredients by half and increase the covered cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes. Do not attempt to cook over 1½ pounds of green beans with this method.
Instructions
- Combine butter, scallions, and lime zest in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add beans, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add water, cover, and cook until beans are bright green and still crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat to high, and cook until water evaporates, 30 to 60 seconds. Add butter mixture and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until beans are crisp-tender, lightly browned, and beginning to wrinkle, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer green beans to serving bowl, toss with lime juice and tarragon; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Time
35 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
We wanted a green bean recipe that gave us tender, lightly browned, fresh-tasting beans in just one pan. Reversing the conventional process of blanching and then sautéing, we sautéed the beans first, then added water to the pan and covered it, so the beans could cook in some steam. Once the beans were soft, we lifted the lid to vaporize whatever water remained in the pan and to promote additional browning. A little softened butter added to the pan at this stage gave our green bean recipe richness and promoted even more browning.
Before You Begin
This recipe yields crisp-tender beans. If you prefer a slightly more tender texture (or you are using large tough beans), increase the water by a tablespoon and cook, covered, an extra minute. To serve 6, increase all the ingredients by half and increase the covered cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes. Do not attempt to cook over 1½ pounds of green beans with this method.
Instructions
- Combine butter, scallions, and lime zest in small bowl; set aside. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add beans, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add water, cover, and cook until beans are bright green and still crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove cover, increase heat to high, and cook until water evaporates, 30 to 60 seconds. Add butter mixture and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until beans are crisp-tender, lightly browned, and beginning to wrinkle, 1 to 3 minutes longer. Transfer green beans to serving bowl, toss with lime juice and tarragon; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
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