Easy and Wonderful Green Beans

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You can make this dish with the green garlic (if you can find that here in Tampa) or with regular garlic. The abundant parsley here is almost like a second vitamin-rich green vegetable. Almonds contribute a crunchy texture, as well as lots of vitamin E and manganese. And, that little bit of lemon zest adds such a freshness to enhance the sweetness of our farm-fresh beans.

• 1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped or grated lemon zest
• 1 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) toasted almonds, either slivered or finely chopped (3 tablespoons chopped)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil( or half butter, half olive oil)
• 1 small bulb, or 4 cloves, green garlic, or 2 large cloves regular garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the beans. Cook for five minutes until tender, and transfer to a bowl of ice-cold water. Drain. (Alternatively, steam the beans for five minutes and refresh with cold water).

2. Mix together the parsley, lemon zest and almonds in a small bowl. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet, and add the garlic. As soon as the oil  and garlic begins to sizzle and smell good (30 seconds to a minute), stir in the beans. Toss for about a minute until the beans are coated with oil and cooked garlic, then stir in the parsley mixture. Stir for a minute, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer the beans to a platter or serving dish, scrape the almond mixture remaining in the pan over the top and serve.

Advance preparation: The blanched or steamed green beans will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

Adapted from the New York Times, “Recipes for Health”