Estate Dinners
Italian-Style Green Beans with Potatoes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
The Strategy:
Steaming green beans and baby potatoes until tender-crisp is a quick and healthy way to prepare this rustic side dish. Simmering sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, and chicken broth creates a syrupy, savory glaze that coats the vegetables beautifully. Toss everything together in a hot skillet to let the flavors meld right before serving.
Ingredients
- ½ pound fresh green beans, about 3 cups, ends trimmed
- 8 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into quarters, about 2 cups
- 3 tablespoons julienned sun-dried tomatoes with oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- Juice of 1 medium Meyer lemon, about 3 tablespoons (substitute with orange juice)
- ½ cup homemade chicken stock or prepared low sodium broth
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
Instructions
Vegetables
- Steam or blanch the beans and potatoes until they are just crisp tender using a steamer basket or microwave oven.
- Heat the sundried tomatoes in a skillet over medium heat.
- Stir in the garlic and pour in the lemon juice.
- Pour in the chicken broth.
- Simmer for 5 minutes until the liquid reduces and you have a syrupy sauce.
- Add the beans and the potatoes.
- Toss to coat.
- Season with salt and pepper.
The Heart of the Table
This dish brings the simple, sun-drenched flavors of the Italian countryside straight to the table, looking like a rustic family harvest. Its bright lemon aroma and savory sun-dried tomato glaze bring a cheerful warmth to the meal, making everyone feel right at home.
The Art of the Host
- a professional Hawthorne strainer with a tight-coil spring
- a set of heavy-gauge, satin-finished stainless steel mixing bowls
- a platinum-grade non-stick silicone baking mat for consistent heat conduction
- a large, hand-thrown ceramic serving platter with an organic rim
- a well-seasoned 12-inch cast-iron skillet with dual pour spouts
Neighborly Grace
- THE PRESENTATION: Serve the beans and potatoes on a shallow, warm ceramic platter, scattering the glistening sun-dried tomatoes and toasted garlic slices over the top.
- THE POUR: A light, dry Pinot Grigio or a sparkling water infused with fresh lemon wheels and a sprig of basil.
- THE VIBE: Morning Sunroom. The air is fresh and breezy as family gathers around the table for a relaxed, early-afternoon lunch.