Spanish Style Green Beans

It’s no secret that most Americans don’t incorporate enough vegetables into their diets.  When I feel like I need to eat more veggies, my go-to favorites are broccoli, corn and green beans. They're easy to find all year long and they're relatively simple to prepare.  Oh, and my family is much more likely to eat them than beets or squash or kohlrabi.  🥦

If I had to choose a favorite vegetable, it would be green beans.  They’re high in fiber, low in sodium, and a good source of folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and other essential nutrients. I grew up on canned green beans and because of that, there's a special place in my heart for salty canned beans.  But my absolute favorites are fresh green beans in overflowing bins at the grocery stores and the farmers markets.  I'm the girl who patiently stands in front of the bin of beans at the grocery store and carefully and purposefully inspects each and every bean before adding it to my bag.  (#sorrynotsorry) 

I've made ultra fancy green bean dishes to elevate the flavor, but frankly, green beans are just as delicious with a sprinkle of salt and a little bit of butter.  I've steamed them, roasted them, blanched them, and tossed them into a salad.   I've also been known to made a meal out of a heaping mound of perfectly seasoned and slightly crunchy green beans.  

Like I said earlier, it really doesn't take much to make a fresh green bean really exceptional.  A few simple ingredients and a handful of slivered almonds is all it takes for this girl to devour some green beans.  I adapted this recipe from America's Test Kitchen and I'm not exactly sure what makes them uniquely "Spanish" but I decided to stay true to the recipe and keep the name.  If you've got some inside information on the origin of Spanish Style Green Beans - please share it with me.  

Spanish Style Green Beans
4 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 ounce prosciutto, sliced into 1/4" ribbons
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Cook almonds in 2 T. oil until golden. 

Add ham and garlic and cook 2 minutes. 

Heat 2 T. oil to smoking.  Add beans and 1/2 t. each salt and pepper. Cook until lightly charred.

Add ham/almond mixture and 1/2 cup water to beans.  Cover and cook on low for 3 minutes.  

Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving dish. 

Heat 1/2 c. water in skillet.  Bring to a simmer until reduced to 2 T.  

Remove from heat.  Stir in paprika.  

Drizzle sauce over beans and serve.  

Since summer is coming to an end, it's getting harder and harder to find fresh green beans in my local supermarket.  That's usually my clue that it's time to transition back to canned or frozen green beans.  If you've got a favorite recipe using frozen or canned beans - send it to me.  I would love to see it.  I definitely need to spice up my winter vegetable repertoire.  

Ciao!

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