Recipe: Green Beans With Toasted Walnuts

Makes 6 servings

1 pound green beans

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 cup walnuts

3 tablespoons toasted walnut oil

Additional salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Trim the green beans to remove the tough stem end, but leave the delicate "tails" intact. Cut the beans into 3-inch pieces.

2. Put 2 quarts of water on to boil in a large saucepan at high heat. Add the salt. When the water comes to a full, rolling boil, drop in the beans. Cook until they are dark green and barely tender, about 3 minutes, then lift them out of the boiling water and scatter them over the surface of a baking sheet so they will cool and stop cooking.

3. Toast the walnuts in a preheated 350-degree oven until fragrant and just a shade darker, about 8 minutes; then roll a rolling pin over the toasted nuts to break them into smaller bits. Toss the cooked beans with the toasted walnuts and the walnut oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, then pop them in the oven until they are heated through, about 5 minutes.

Note: Boiling the beans in a large quantity of well-salted water keeps them bright green as they cook. The quantity of water is critical; there must be enough so that it doesn't cool down when the beans are added. Once cooked, scatter beans over the surface of a sheet pan to cool, then finish them at the last minute with walnut oil and toasted walnuts. They will retain a trace of salt from their initial saltwater boil so re-seasoning won't be necessary.

Note: Toasted walnut oil can be found in most grocery stores; it's pricey, but a little goes a long way and it keeps, refrigerated, for up to a year; use it in salad dressing or in place of other oils in baked goods.

Greg Atkinson, Seattle Culinary Academy

at Seattle Central Community College