Green Beans with Lemon & Almonds:  Yields 8 Servings

2       lb. fresh green beans, trimmed

1       teaspoon salt

4       tablespoons of butter

2       shallots, sliced in rings

1       teaspoons fresh lemon zest

2       tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2   cup slivered almonds

Fill a large sauce pot 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil, add green beans and salt.  You will need to cook the green beans in batches.  Boil the beans just until they begin to soften…just a few minutes.  Test the beans as you go…pull one out and taste it.  You want them to be a little crisp.  This is just stage one of the cooking process, so you do not want them to be completely cooked.  Use thongs to remove the beans and plunge them into a bowl of ice-water.  Once cool, drain on paper towels or colander.  Repeat this process until all of the beans have been blanched.  This blanching process will seal in the bright green color of your beans, so this step is a must.  At this point you can cover and refrigerate the beans until you are ready finish them and serve or proceed to the next step.

In a large skillet, melt butter, add shallots,  and cook until the shallots are soft.  Add the lemon zest to the pan, stir and add your green beans.  Heat until green beans reach the point of tenderness you like.  Add the fresh lemon juice and almonds.  Toss back an forth with thongs until the beans are covered in butter, shallots, lemon juice and almonds.  To serve, place the green beans on a square or rectangle platter and sprinkle with a little pepper and a few more almonds if you like.   You may garnish the platter with wedges or slices of lemon for color.  

Tip….if your beans are plated and ready to serve you can cover them with foil to retain the heat for a few minutes while you are getting your other dishes out.  Using a platter warmed under hot water or in the oven helps too.