Elena's beans

Every Saturday when I make the rounds at the City Market, I always visit Erica or Joel from Free Union Grass Farm, who sell great eggs and meat, and Elena, who sells homemade pies and fresh produce. Early in the season, Elena has wonderful lettuces that we use to make salad everyday. After that, I go with the green beans, which Elena always has in several varieties, often including the thin French filet beans (haricots verts) I like best. In addition to her beautiful produce, I love visiting Elena because she was born in Italy and still speaks Italian, and because she and her husband Donal used to put on the much-missed Sun Run Five Mile race in the middle of the summer (it was hot as could be!). Food, Italy, and running, all in one stall at the City Market. The only thing missing is soccer.

Green Beans with Walnuts and Olive Oil

Adapted from Amanda Hesser in the New York Times

Time: ~20 minutes

We have quite a few green bean recipes we like, but this is the one I make the most often, along with the ridiculously easy Garlic Green Beans. The original recipe calls for walnut oil. It tastes wonderful with these beans but it's a bit pricey and I got tired of keeping it around just for this dish. Use walnut oil if you have it, but good-quality olive oil works well, too. The original recipe also says to cook the beans in water seasoned with enough sea salt "so that it tastes like ocean water." Amanda Hesser undoubtedly knows a lot more about food than I ever will. But if someone tells you to cook something in water that tastes like the ocean, don't believe them.

¼ cup (1 ounce) coarsely chopped walnuts
¾ pound green beans, preferably haricots verts
fine sea salt
2 tablespoons good olive oil, or walnut oil if you have it (see note)
a pinch of flaky sea salt (like Maldon)
coarsely ground black pepper

    1. Place a large saucepan or saucier pan of water on to boil. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the walnuts in a small, light-colored pan (I use an old toaster oven rack) and roast them in the warming oven until they just begin to change color, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch closely as they burn easily; once you smell them, it's time to take them out. Set aside.
    2. While the water is coming to a boil and the nuts are roasting, stem the beans. You can use a knife for this job, but I usually just snap the ends off by hand. When the water boils, add a few generous pinches of fine sea salt (see note) and stir to dissolve. Add the beans and cook until they are tender but still somewhat firm, about 4 minutes for thin haricots verts, longer for fatter beans. Don't overcook the beans—they will continue to cook some after you drain them—but you don't want them to be too crunchy either.
    3. When they're done, drain the beans, then dump them onto a clean kitchen towel. Fold the towel over to dry the beans a little bit, then empty them into a serving bowl. Use a pair of kitchen tongs to toss the hot beans with the warm walnuts and the oil. Season with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 2.