Green Beans with Red Pepper and Garlic from The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook

Green Beans with Red Pepper and Garlic from The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook

Green beans, also known as string beans or snap beans, are available year-round. To preserve their fresh flavor and texture, parboil the beans, immerse them in ice water to set their color, then saute briefly.

1 lb green beans, stems trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into juliene
1/2 teaspoon chile paste or red pepper flakes (I used red pepper flakes)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Cut the beans into 2-inch pieces. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until they turn right green and are tender-crisp, -3 minutes. Drain the beans, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. drain again and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and toss and stir for about 1 minute. Add the beans and saute for 1 minute longer. Add the chile paste (or red pepper flakes), toss and stir for 1 minute longer. The beans will be tender and bright green. Drizzle with the sesame oil and season with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.