Name: Green Beans with Cranberries, Walnuts, and Blue Cheese
Total time: 35 min
Yield: Serves 8
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 large shallot, sliced thin; 2 pounds green beans, trimmed; 1/4 cup water; 3/4 cup dried cranberries; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese; 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Why This Recipe Works

Tender, lightly browned, sautéed green beans can be difficult to produce. Either the beans are army green and limp or they have the crisp, bright look and texture of crudités. We took a three-step approach: first, we browned the beans in a mixture of butter and shallots to season them and encourage coloring; next, we steamed them in a small amount of water, covered, to ensure they were tender; and, finally, we removed the cover to allow any excess moisture to evaporate.

Instructions

Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook until softened, 1 minute. Add beans and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are spotty brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in water, cranberries, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until beans are nearly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove lid and cook until liquid evaporates and beans are tender, about 1 minute. Top cooked beans with blue cheese and walnuts. Serve.