At Thanksgiving, however, nothing is plain, so I dressed them up with a simple mustardy vinaigrette. Mustard goes well with ham, I figured, so it was a good match.
I confess that I do not steam my green beans. I throw them in a pot of boiling water for 8 minutes, then drain them. Served like this, they are delicious. A pat of butter and a little salt and pepper gilds the lily.
Of course, if you have really young fresh beans, like the ones I hope to be harvesting this winter, steam them for a mere 3-5 minutes to keep their tender taste. The organic green beans I've been buying at the Hollywood Farmers Market are more mature and benefit from a good boil.
Green beans in vinaigrette make a nice room temperature side, and can also be chopped up and added to cooked rice or salads. Leftover lemon mustard dressing is also good on green salads or bean salads, or poured over any cooked vegetable.
On Thanksgiving, I strolled through the garden picking a lemon and some tarragon to garnish the beans. If you don't have fresh tarragon, use any herb you like – dried is fine, just use 1/4 tsp to start and then add more to taste.
Green Beans with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette
1 lb green beans, ends trimmed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp minced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced (opt)
1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
3/4 tsp salt
pepper
Cook beans. Either steam until tender, or cook in boiling water about 8 minutes until tender. Drain, refresh in cold water, and pat dry. Arrange on a platter.
Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the remaining ingredients.
Pour the vinaigrette over the beans, and serve.
Serves 4
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