Recipe of the Week - 7/5/07

Green Beans from the Brittany Coast, from Kelly Clark, Market Staff and Volunteer

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds green beans*, cut in 1/2 inch lengths
1/2 pound very small new potatoes*, peeled
1 small bunch scallions or 2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic*, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped parsley*
Salt and freshly ground pepper   

Procedure
Blanch the vegetables in boiling salted water, first the green beans until tender, 4 to 6 minutes, then the potatoes until they can be pierced easily with a skewer.  Drain the vegetables when they are cooked and reserve.

While the vegetables blanch, sauté the scallions and garlic in the butter until limp.  Add the blanched vegetables to the scallion/garlic mixture.  Stir to coat with butter, adding to taste.  Toss in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.  Serve very hot. Serves 6.

Recipe from “From a Breton Garden” published in 1990 by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., ISBN # 0-201-51759-0.

Variations
Use all different kinds and colors of potatoes; there are so many wonderful varieties available in the Market.  Use yellow snap beans* instead of green, or a mixture of both.  Substitute the parsley for one of these herbs; basil*, chives, dill*, lemon thyme or mint*.  Add crumbled bacon* or chopped anchovies as a garnish.

*available at the Market