We grow several varieties of green beans in our garden and in a good summer, we harvest more than we can eat. I happily blanch, cool, and freeze our garden bounty knowing that come winter, I'm going to be thrilled to pull this taste of summer from our freezer. Olives and sun-dried tomatoes bring lots of umami to the table and the walnuts show up with those good fats. Enjoy this tasty side dish in every season.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (or oil from sun-dried tomatoes)
- 3/4 pound fresh or frozen (thawed) green beans, ends trimmed
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped mixed olives
- 2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
- 1 1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- handful of fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, chives, or parsley, coarsely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Warm large, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat. Cook walnut pieces 5 minutes until toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Heat oil in same skillet on medium high. Add beans. If using fresh, cook 4 minutes until softened. For frozen, cook until heated through and any extra water has cooked out of the beans. Stir frequently.
- Add olives, tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt. Cook 2 more minutes, until everything is well-heated.
- Top with walnuts and herbs and serve.
