GREEN BEANS Stir-Fried w/ Lemon,Butter, & Garlic

LOW CARB

GREEN BEANS Stir-Fried w/ Lemon, Butter, & Garlic

Table of Contents: VEGETABLES

Be sure to select small, tender green beans.  Don’t bother with old, tough, “shucky” green beans.  Fortunately, good ones are available almost year-round.

2 lbs. small fresh green beans

1 cup water

¾ tsp. salt

¼ cup butter or margarine

4 large cloves garlic, minced then crushed

1/8 tsp. lemon-pepper marinade (more may be desired)

A few drops lemon juice

Remove the end tips of the green beans; then wash and drain.  Break beans into halves and remove any side-strings.

In a Dutch oven, bring the water to a full boil, and add salt and the beans.  Return water to a boil; then cover and turn heat to simmer; cooking for 10 minutes or until tender-crisp.  Immediately drain beans in a colander.

Add the butter to the now empty Dutch oven to melt; then add garlic, and cook slowly until garlic is tender.  Stir in the lemon-pepper marinade, 2 or 3 drops lemon juice, and green beans.  Cook, uncovered, for an additional 3 minutes.  Serve hot.  Makes 4 to 8 servings.

This is one of my favorite tender-crisp-style green beans recipes.  Katrina Scofield of Greenville, AL gave it to me for the Priester’s Pecans cookbook that I wrote, tested, and produced for them, DINING ON THE VICTORIAN VERANDAH.  I have only slightly altered it here, using 1/8 tsp. lemon-pepper marinade instead of the original ¼ tsp. called for.  I added the drops of lemon juice that were not in the original recipe.  Do not use too much lemon flavor.  A very small amount does the job.

This is not the traditional way of cooking green beans in the South.  I personally like them cooked both ways – seasoned and tender-crisp, and Southern-seasoned with a soft texture.