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Green Beans with Cilantro Sauce (Mtsvane Lobio Kindzis Satsebelit)

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 10, 2009

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Green Beans with Cilantro Sauce (Mtsvane Lobio Kindzis Satsebelit)

Ingredients

¼ cup walnuts 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled2 ½ cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems, tough stem ends trimmed (about 2 bunches)½ cup olive oil 4 teaspoons lemon juice 1 scallion, sliced thin½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for blanching green beans⅛ teaspoon pepper 2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Before You Begin

We prefer the mild flavor of regular olive oil in this sauce compared with the stronger flavor of extra-virgin olive oil. Don’t worry about patting the beans dry before tossing them with the sauce; any water that clings to the beans helps thin out the sauce. This sauce is also good served with crudités or alongside grilled or roasted meat, chicken, or fish.

Instructions

  1. Toast walnuts in small, heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes; transfer walnuts to small bowl and set aside. Add garlic to now-empty skillet and toast over medium heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant and color of cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let garlic cool slightly, then peel and chop.
  2. Process walnuts, garlic, cilantro, oil, lemon juice, scallion, salt, and pepper in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days.)
  3. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat. Meanwhile, fill large bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside. Add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain beans; transfer to ice bath; and let sit until chilled, about 2 minutes.
  4. Drain beans well, transfer to serving bowl, and toss with cilantro sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (Dressed beans can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.)
Green Beans with Cilantro Sauce (Mtsvane Lobio Kindzis Satsebelit)
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Gina McCreadie.

Green Beans with Cilantro Sauce (Mtsvane Lobio Kindzis Satsebelit)

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

¼ cup walnuts
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 ½ cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems, tough stem ends trimmed (about 2 bunches)
½ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 scallion, sliced thin
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for blanching green beans
⅛ teaspoon pepper
2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Ingredients

¼ cup walnuts
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 ½ cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems, tough stem ends trimmed (about 2 bunches)
½ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 scallion, sliced thin
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for blanching green beans
⅛ teaspoon pepper
2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Ingredients

¼ cup walnuts
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 ½ cups packed fresh cilantro leaves and stems, tough stem ends trimmed (about 2 bunches)
½ cup olive oil
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 scallion, sliced thin
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for blanching green beans
⅛ teaspoon pepper
2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Why This Recipe Works

For our version of this Georgian dish, we blanched our green beans in boiling salted water until they were crisp-tender and then shocked them in ice water to halt their cooking. For the sauce, we tried all types of herbs that different recipes suggested—cilantro, basil, parsley, tarragon, and combinations thereof—and decided that we liked the pure, slightly citrusy flavor of cilantro alone the best, opting to use the tender parts of the stems as well as the leaves. Most recipes called for walnuts to help enrich the sauce, and we agreed that their flavor was a good match for the cilantro. We found that toasting the walnuts added depth of flavor to the sauce.

Before You Begin

We prefer the mild flavor of regular olive oil in this sauce compared with the stronger flavor of extra-virgin olive oil. Don’t worry about patting the beans dry before tossing them with the sauce; any water that clings to the beans helps thin out the sauce. This sauce is also good served with crudités or alongside grilled or roasted meat, chicken, or fish.

Instructions

  1. Toast walnuts in small, heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until just golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes; transfer walnuts to small bowl and set aside. Add garlic to now-empty skillet and toast over medium heat, shaking skillet occasionally, until fragrant and color of cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Let garlic cool slightly, then peel and chop.
  2. Process walnuts, garlic, cilantro, oil, lemon juice, scallion, salt, and pepper in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 2 days.)
  3. Bring 3 quarts water to boil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat. Meanwhile, fill large bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside. Add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain beans; transfer to ice bath; and let sit until chilled, about 2 minutes.
  4. Drain beans well, transfer to serving bowl, and toss with cilantro sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (Dressed beans can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours.)

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Key Equipment

Equipment

Dutch Ovens

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