Charred Snap Beans

It’s the perfect combination of sweet and fresh. The sweetness of the snap bean is developed when the bean hits high heat and develops a wonderful caramelization while maintaining the crisp interior of a raw one. 

You can eat them while it’s hot, but I like to serve it as a room temperature appetizer. 

This recipe is one of the dishes that is easy in execution and forgiving in flavors so let your mind wander with it. Don’t hate me for not giving amounts but sides that you can throw together without measuring make things less stressful and quicker. My only caution is to go light on the salt because you can always add more.

Charred Snap Beans Ingredients
Avocado oil
Snap beans
Salt
Black Pepper
Lemon juice (fresh is best)

Charred Snap Beans Directions
Snap the stem end off of the snap beans.

Heat a frying pan to medium hot then pour just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Then, heat it to hot. The oil should be smooth and shiny but not smoking. Add one snap bean. If you hear a loud sizzle, add more beans in a single layer without the beans touching the others. 

Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the beans. After a few minutes, peek at the underside of the bean. If it’s deep brown, give the beans a quick flip. Let them cook about 1-2 more minutes and taste one. It should have a deep flavor and crisp, but not raw tasting. If it still tastes raw, cook a little longer but make sure you don’t overcook it. The beans won’t char on both sides. Remove the beans from the pan. 

Sprinkle the beans with lemon juice and serve hot or room temperature.

Notes
I’m not usually big on premixed spices but this dish is a really good use for them. It gives you the ability to have complex spicing with the ease of a single sprinkle.